Monitor
CBCP
MAY 13 - 26, 2019, VOL 23, NO. 10
PPCRV to look
into poll glitches
By Roy Lagarde
A church-backed
poll watchdog has
requested data from the
transparency server
of the Commission
on Elections amid
glitches.
The Parish Pastoral
Council for Responsible
Voting (PPCRV) said
the situation calls for
transparency to erase doubts
among the people.
Myla Villanueva, PPCRV
chairperson, said the data
would help them determine
if the data will match with
results from the central
server.
“For me as a tech person,
what is important is to
see why it happened in
the first place. Second,
the data from the central
and transparency server
should match,” Villanueva
said.
But she said they would
wait for the right time
“because that is post-
forensic”.
“It is a way of auditing,”
Villanueva said. “We
do not want to disrupt
the transparency server
because it is still receiving
data.”
Bishops to poll winners: Live up
to people’s expectations
Voters look for their names on a list outside a polling precincts in Manila on May 13, 2019. CBCP NEWS
CATHOLIC bishops
urged the winners of this
year’s midterm elections,
especially the country’s
new senators, to live up
to the expectations of the
electorate.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of
Balanga hopes that elected
officials will “truly” work for
the service of the people,
not for certain person or
political party.
“It is our prayer and hope
that they will not fail us, nor
fail us again,” said Santos,
who chairs the bishops’
Commission on Migrants
and Itinerant People.
“Given a fresh mandate,
let us pray they will live up
to our expectations, and we
will not be sorry we have
Volunteers at the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) command center in Manila continue the manual encoding of the printed election results May 15.
The church-based poll watchdog has managed to mobilize around 300,000 volunteers for the May 13 midterm elections.
Logs
The PPCRV would also
like to see the logs of
transparency server which
stopped sending election
results for several hours on
Monday night.
“We will insist on the
logs,” Villanueva said.
“This has never happened
before, that’s why I want to
see the logs in order that we
can avoid it ever happening
again,” she added.
The delay in transmission
elected them,” he said.
Allies of President
Rodrigo Duterte are on their
way to dominate the Senate
race, partial results from
the May 14 polls showed.
The prelate said this
only showed that many
people still place their trust
and future to the Duterte
administration.
“Our people has spoken.
It is their will, and we have
to respect it,” Bishop Santos
said.
“We appeal that we all
work together for peace and
prosperity of our country,
for better and improved
lives of our people,” he
added.
Bishop Arturo Bastes of
Sorsogon, however, could
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE
raised public concern and
fuelled speculation that
there might be tampering
of votes.
The PPCRV also
asked the poll body
to allow stakeholders
and independent
groups to document any
troubleshooting of the
transparency server.
Villanueva said they would
share their recording with
the IT community for them
to further scrutinize the
not hide his frustration over
the results of the senatorial
race.
The Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) had
earlier appealed to voters
to preserve checks and
balances in the government.
The bishops warned that
in the country today, such
system in governance are
being “undermined”.
So far, they said, the
Senate is the government
institution that is holding
out “as our country is
inching out towards total
control”.
For Bishop Bastes,
the outcome was simply
“very disappointing”.
(CBCPNews)
information.
As of 2pm May 15, the
transparency server shows
that 84,633 out of 85,769
clustered precincts have
been counted.
The PPCRV, meanwhile,
has received around 10
percent of physical election
returns, mostly from the
cities in Metro Manila.
Suspend proclamation
of senators
For the Church’s social
Bishop hits attempts to
suppress press freedom
A CATHOLIC bishop has
joined calls for greater press
freedom in the country and
deplored actions to suppress
it.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza
of San Carlos said the
Church promotes freedom
of the press as he stressed
the importance of truth in
journalism.
“Promoting the truth is
promoting life. We join
the call of respecting press
freedom, respecting the
truth and respecting human
life,” Alminaza said in a
statement to mark World
Press Freedom Day.
The prelate also thanked
the journalists who continue
to fight for the truth “amidst
the darkness”.
He particularly paid
Bishop on rampant vote buying:
‘Disheartening’
A voter is helped by an election worker as he casts his vote during mid-term polls
in Manila on May 13, 2019. CBCP NEWS
A CATHOLIC bishop
has expressed displeasure
over the rampant and open
buying of votes during this
year’s midterm elections.
CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM
ANALYSIS
justice arm, the Comelec
must suspend the
proclamation of senators
until allegations of election
fraud is cleared.
Caritas Philippines
particularly demanded
for an independent and
impartial investigation into
the allegations.
“We are calling to suspend
the proclamation of winning
senatorial candidates until
the allegation of fraud is
Glitches / A6
tribute to journalists who
were persecuted and killed
for doing their jobs.
“Justice for those who were
jailed and killed but continue
to inspire and their witnesses
shines forth amidst the
darkness,” Alminaza said.
The bishop added that
he is also praying for the
“conversion” of those “who
allowed themselves to be
used to spread lies, sow
fear and terror, abuse our
freedom of expression,
divide rather than unite for
the common good”.
For its part, the National
Union of Journalists of the
Philippines (NUJP) has
called for courage as press
freedom is currently “under
siege”.
Suppress / A6
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza
of San Carlos noted that
while the elections were
generally peaceful, vote-
Rampant / A6
‘Vos estis’ and
‘vulnerability’
POPE Francis’ recently
promulgated policy on
sexual abuse allegations
made against bishops, Vos
estis lux mundi, offers a
new and much expanded
interpretation of what
constitutes a canonical
sexual crime by a cleric.
That interpretation
has raised real questions
about how the law is to be
applied, at the Vatican and
in diocesan chanceries.
The new policy
recognizes as explicitly
criminal the abuse of
authority in coercive
sexual relationships, a
move called for often in
the wake of the Theodore
McCarrick scandal. It also
offers a new definition
for “vulnerable” adults, a
legal category of persons
who could be subject to
criminally coercive abuse.
The universal law of the
Church previously defined
a “vulnerable adult” as one
who “habitually lacks the
use of reason.”
The new definition
classifies a “vulnerable
adult” as “any person in a
state of infirmity, physical
or mental deficiency, or
deprivation of personal
liberty which, in fact, even
occasionally, limits their
ability to understand or to
want or otherwise resist
the offense.”
That definition could
seem to cover a very broad
swath of situations, which
would be quite distinct
from each other. Some
Vatican and diocesan
officials have told CNA
they are concerned that
the potentially broad
applicability of the new
definition could cause
unjust expectations, and
uncertainty about how
to proceed in individual
cases.
Specifically, some worry
that Vos estis could foster
a sense that nearly any
sexual act committed by
a priest is expected be
treated on a par with the
sexual abuse of minors,
and lead to his removal
permanent removal from
ministry.
In a Church committed
to zero-tolerance for
sexual abuse, the new
definition for “vulnerable
adult” could make clergy
discipline a decidedly more
complicated undertaking.
It seems clear, for
example, that a priest
who has had a sexual
relationship with a
traumatized victim of
abuse who comes to him
for spiritual direction has
committed a most grave
offense, and should face
the fullest measure of
justice - civil and canonical.
But can the same be said
for a newly ordained priest
who, while still coming
into maturity, kisses a
parishioner with whom
he is friends in a moment
of indiscretion, after they
both have a few drinks, and
then immediately puts a
stop to things?
Both are serious offenses
that impact the good of
souls and the public good.
In both situations, the
other party was impaired
in some way, and could
seem to meet the definition
of vulnerability. Both
Analysis / A6
A2 WORLD NEWS May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 CBCP Monitor

Vatican Briefing EWTN to launch African news agency

Pope invites young people to pledge to build a new economy
Pope Francis has invited young economists and entrepreneurs
around the world to help create a “new and courageous culture”
that finds new ways to do business, promote human dignity
and protect the environment. “We need to correct models of
growth incapable of guaranteeing respect for the environment,
openness to life, concern for the family, social equality, the
dignity of workers and the rights of future generations,” the
pope said in a letter inviting young people to take part in a new
initiative. The initiative, to be launched at an event in Assisi
March 26-28, 2020, invites young men and women studying or
working in the field of economics or business to join the pope
and “enter into a ‘covenant’ to change today’s economy and to
give a soul to the economy of tomorrow.” (Carol Glatz/CNS)

Be merciful ministers of Christ, pope tells new priests

The priesthood is not a “cultural association or a union,” but
a ministry of mercy anchored on Christ’s mission to bring hope
to the downtrodden and comfort to those who suffer, Pope
Francis told new priests. “The Lord wished to save us freely.
It was he who told us, ‘Give freely what you have received Fr. Don Bosco Onyalla, editor of ACI-Africa, stands with the image of Mother Mary Angelica, foundress of EWTN. FILE PHOTO/CNA
freely.’ The celebration of the Eucharist is the culmination of
ROME, Italy— EWTN Global Catholic Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan. based news organization, which
the Lord’s gratuitousness. Please, do not dirty it with petty
Network announced Friday that it will Onyalla is a journalist who serves the Portuguese-speaking
interests,” he said. Celebrating Mass May 12 in St. Peter’s
launch a news service for the African established and previously oversaw world; and ACI Stampa, the Italian-
Basilica, Pope Francis ordained 19 new priests: 11 who studied
continent. the Catholic News Agency For Africa language news organization based in
at three different diocesan seminaries in the city and eight
ACI-Africa will be a Nairobi, (CANAA), a project of the African Rome. ACI Group is part of the larger
from the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, an association of
Kenya-based Catholic news agency, bishops conference. Onyalla’s work EWTN News, Inc. division, which also
diocesan clergy associated with Opus Dei. (Junno Arocho
publishing content in English, French has included producing websites, includes Denver-based Catholic News
Esteves/CNS)
and Portuguese. newsletters and social media updates Agency (CNA), the German language
EWTN Chairman and Chief for the bishops, as well as working news service, CNA Deutsch, and
Hope and mercy needed to combat indifference, Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw with diocesan, national and regional several other Catholic news outlets.
pope tells foundation formally introduced the project episcopal communication directors “We were honored to welcome
In a world marked by violence, conflict as well as material during a May 10 event at EWTN’s throughout Africa. He speaks English, Vatican officials, journalists, and
and spiritual poverty, men and women need the Gospel Vatican bureau. The news agency will French, and Swahili, as well as the distinguished guests to our event
message of hope, Pope Francis told members of the U.S.- officially begin operations on August local languages of Luhya and Dinka. announcing the birth of ACI-Africa,”
based Papal Foundation. Speaking to foundation members 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption, “I look forward to interacting with said Alejandro Bermudez, Executive
May 10, the pope thanked them for their contributions the same date on which EWTN fellow Catholic journalists under the Director of the ACI Group.
and work that “helps to bring the Gospel message of hope Founder Mother Angelica launched EWTN umbrella, to facilitating the “This new agency aimed at covering
and mercy to all who benefit from your commitment and EWTN in 1981. telling of Africa’s story by Africans, all Africa for Africa and the world is
generosity.” “For this I thank you, and I pray that you “The Church in Africa is vibrant and and to the challenges involved in an expression of the growing role
will be renewed in your purpose to help build the church continues to see exponential growth. setting up a news agency in the vast African Catholicism is having in the
in unity and advance her charitable outreach to the least My hope is that this new service from and multi-cultural context that is universal Church. This is a significant
of our brothers and sisters,” he said. (Junno Arocho EWTN will help continue to build up Africa,” Onyalla said. step forward for the ACI Group as well
Esteves/CNS) the African Church and also ensure ACI-Africa will be a part of the as for the larger EWTN News family.”
that the voice of the African Church is ACI Group which was acquired by The launch of ACI-Africa is the
heard more clearly around the world EWTN in 2014 and includes ACI latest development in EWTN’s
Pope: Without Holy Spirit, dioceses can become worldly busi- with content that is shared through Prensa, the world’s largest Spanish- efforts to continue to expand its news
nesses EWTN’s other news platforms.” language Catholic news organization presence in the global Catholic digital
A diocese that cares more about being an organized ACI-Africa will be headed by Father with headquarters in Lima, Peru; ACI and multimedia marketplace, EWTN
workplace rather than announcing the good news can fall Don Bosco Onyalla, a priest of the Digital, the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil- representative said. (CNA)
prey to clericalism and distance itself from Christ, Pope
Francis said. In creating a “functionalist diocese,” the pope
said, local churches are in danger of transmitting a “new
Faith leaders call for an end to solitary confinement
ideological colonization that seeks to convince others that ALBANY, N.Y.— New T’ruah the Rabbinic Call confinement to 15 days or CNA.
the Gospel is wisdom and doctrine but not an announcement, York’s faith leaders for Human Rights, and less. The United Nations “It’s not necessary in
not a kerygma.” Pope Francis addressed over 1,000 diocesan gathered in protest of New York State Council of Special Rapporteur on modern society and modern
leaders, both clergy and laity, May 9 at the Basilica of St. solitary confinement this Churches - a coalition of Torture has denounced prison systems to take this
John Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. (Junno week, pushing for a bill that numerous denominations. solitary confinement that action. We are asking the
Arocho Esteves/CNS) seeks more humane ways to The New York State exceeds more than 15 days state to look at its historic
treat prisoners. Catholic Conference was as a form of torture. overuse of this policy and to
“We believe solitary not present at the event, but On any given day, present these prisoner with
Never lose hope for a better future, pope tells Gypsy communities confinement is a form of it expressed strong support there are an estimated more humane conditions,”
Members of Italy’s Gypsy communities must look to torture, and it has been vastly for the HALT bill, which 3,000 inmates in solitary he said.
God to hold on to the hope of a future where they are no overused historically in New has not yet been debated on confinement in New York’s Poust drew attention to
longer discriminated against or segregated, Pope Francis York State. Even with some the Senate or House floor. state prisons. Prisoners in the care of the imprisoned
said. Speaking to 500 members of the Roma, Sinti and recent reforms, not enough The conference issued a solitary confinement are prescribed by the Old and
Gypsy communities during a May 9 prayer service in the has been done,” Dennis memorandum in support isolated in 6-by-10 foot New Testaments. He said
Clementine Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the pope Poust, communications of the act in January. cells for 23 hours at a time. it is the responsibility
said he was moved by the testimonies of mothers who director for the New York The bill seeks to “limit the After a 2016 settlement of Christians to express
continue to hold on to the hope they see in their children’s State Catholic Conference, time an inmate can spend in a lawsuit challenging solidarity with incarcerated
eyes. “Hope can disappoint if it is not true hope. But when told CNA. in segregated confinement, New York’s widespread people.
hope is concrete, as in this case, in the eyes of the children, Thirty-five faith leaders end the segregated use of solitary confinement “Prisoners don’t lose
it never disappoints, it never disappoints! When hope is and 30 others rallied in confinement of vulnerable as a punishment, the state their innate human dignity
concrete, in the true God, it never disappoints,” he said. support of the Humane people, restrict the criteria reformed its prison system to when they are sentenced.
(Junno Arocho Esteves/CNS) Alternatives to Long-Term that can result in such limit the solitary confinement While there are many
(HALT) Confinement Act confinement, improve of pregnant women, youth prisoners who present
in the New York Capitol conditions of confinement, and the disabled. a danger to society and
Pope names relator general, special secretaries for Amazon synod Building in Albany on May and create more humane Solitary confinement can must be incarcerated, the
Pope Francis has chosen Brazil’s Cardinal Claudio Hummes 7. and effective alternatives have serious consequences idea that they should be
to serve as relator general of October’s Synod of Bishops Attendees included to such confinement,” for prisoners’ psychological treated as less than human
on the Amazon. The nomination of the 84-year-old retired representatives from according to the statement. health, leading to an is anathema to what we as
Archbishop of Sao Paulo was announced at the Vatican on May the National Religious If passed, the law increase in depression or a society should be striving
4. The relator is responsible for providing a comprehensive Campaign Against Torture, would restrict solitary even suicide, Poust told for,” he said. (CNA)
outline of the synod’s theme at the beginning of the meeting
and for summarizing the speeches of synod members before
work begins on concrete proposals for the pope. Scheduled After Vatican-China deal, Chinese bishop imprisoned for 23 years is not yet released
for Oct. 6-27, the synod will focus on “Amazonia: New BEIJING, China— The nephew of a trial.” According to Su Tianyou, neither
paths for the church and for an integral ecology.” Cardinal Chinese bishop who was arrested 23 “Before being arrested in 1996, Vatican nor Chinese officials have
Hummes currently serves as president of the Pan-Amazonian years ago has said he does not know Bishop Su Zhimin was held off and indicated whether Su might now be
Ecclesial Network, a Catholic organization founded by Caritas where his uncle is incarcerated, or on for 26 years either in prison or released.
Internationalis that “promotes the rights and dignity of even whether he is still alive. forced labor camps. The Chinese In October 2018, Hong Kong’s
people living in the Amazon.” The pope has also named two “His whereabouts are unknown and government deemed him as Bishop Michael Yeung said that his
special secretaries for the synod: Bishop David Martínez De I don’t even know if he is alive or not. I ‘counterrevolutionary’ because, since diocese continued to pray for Su, and
Aguirre Guinea, the apostolic vicar of Puerto Maldonado, am upset with tears every time I think the 1950s, he has refused to join the hope for his release.
Peru, and Jesuit Fr. Michael Czerny, undersecretary of the of this 87-year-old man. Please pray Patriotic Association,” the Human “Whether he is in prison, or kept
Migrants and Refugee Section of the Vatican Dicastery for for him,” Su Tianyou told UCANews Rights Commission says. secret in some other place, or whether
Promoting Integral Human Development. (Junno Arocho recently. Su reportedly escaped Chinese he has already died, nobody really
Esteves/CNS) His uncle is Bishop James Su detention in 1997, but was rearrested. knows,” Yueng told Reuters.
Zhimin of Baoding, in China’s Hebei “In November 2003, his family The US Commission on
province, southwest of Beijing. discovered him by chance at a hospital International Religious Freedom’s
Respect rights of indigenous people, culture, pope tells mining In 1996, the bishop was arrested in Baoding, surrounded by police latest report, issued April 29, noted
industry during a procession, and charged and public security. He has not been that despite last year’s Vatican-China
A “fallacious” economic model that exploits the earth’s with conducting “unregistered” heard or seen from since, despite deal on the appointment of bishops,
resources while disregarding the rights and cultures of religious activities: Su had refused repeated international inquiries,” “repression of the underground
indigenous people has left the planet in a precarious condition to join the Chinese Catholic Patriotic according to the Human Rights Catholic Church increased during the
and requires a change of heart that places the common Association, the government Commission. latter half of the year.”
good before financial gain, Pope Francis said. Addressing recognized Catholic Church in Su’s nephew, Su Tianyou, told The commission, known as the
participants of a two-day conference at the Vatican May 3, China, and was instead a member UCANews that he met in 2015 with USCIRF, is a bipartisan group that
the pope said that like all economic activities, mining “should of the “underground” Church- Guo Wei, a Chinese official who told advises the President, Congress, and
be at the service of the entire human community,” especially in communion with Rome, and him that the bishop might be released the Secretary of State on international
indigenous people who are often pressured “to abandon appointed a bishop by Pope St. John if there were an improvement in religious freedom issues.
their homelands to make room for mining projects which are Paul II, but unrecognized by the Vatican-China relations. Among the report’s inclusion of
undertaken without regard for the degradation of nature and Chinese government as a bishop. In September 2018, Beijing and commissioners’ “individual views”
culture.” “They are not merely one minority among others, It was not the first time Su was Vatican officials signed a provisional were those of Johnnie Moore, who
but should be the principal dialogue partners, especially when arrested. According to the U.S. House agreement on bishop appointments, called the deal “one of the most
large projects affecting their land are proposed,” he said. of Representatives’ Human Rights that was intended to unify the alarming incidents as it relates to
(Junno Arocho Esteves/CNS) Commission, Su has spent 40 years underground Church and the Chinese religious freedom in the entire year.”
in prison, “without charge, without Catholic Patriotic Association. (CNA)
CBCP Monitor May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 NEWS FEATURES A3

Sri Lanka holds first public
Masses since Easter attacks
Sri Lankan Catholics visit the St. Sebastian’s Church after it was partially opened for
the first time since the East Sunday attacks. COURTESY OF ST. SEBASTIAN CHURCH
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—The
Sri Lankan Catholic Church
on May 12 held its first public
Sunday Masses since suicide
bombers claimed more
than 250 lives and injured
hundreds of others on Easter.
Attendees at the Masses
saw heightened safety
precautions, including full-
body searches, ID checks,
and street patrols by military
and police forces, according
to The Guardian. At the
churches’ gates, volunteers
kept an eye out for suspicious
people.
Earlier, President
Maithripala Sirisena told the
Associated Press that “99%”
of suspects related to the
bombings have been arrested
and explosive material has
been seized.
Church leaders are
considering reopening
Catholic schools on Tuesday,
the AP reported.
As a security measure,
all public Masses had been
cancelled for the two weeks
following attacks by eight
suicide bombers on two Catholic
churches, a protestant church,
three hotels, a residence, and a
zoo on April 21.
On the Sunday following
the attacks, a televised
Mass was held at the
private residential chapel of
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith,
the archbishop of Colombo.
A private ordination
Mass quietly went ahead
as planned April 30 in the
village of Thannamunai, with
attendance lower than had
originally been anticipated.
On Monday, several
social media platforms were
banned indefinitely by the
government amid concerns
surrounding hateful speech
and fake news. Facebook,
Not ruling on apparitions, pope
allows pilgrimages to Medjugorje
Pope issues new norms on mandatory
abuse reporting, bishop accountability
VATICAN— Pope Francis
has revised and clarified
norms and procedures for
holding bishops and religious
superiors accountable in
protecting minors as well
as in protecting members
of religious orders and
seminarians from abuse.
The new juridical
instrument is meant to help
bishops and religious leaders
around the world clearly
understand their duties and
church law, underlining
how they are ultimately
responsible for proper
governance and protecting
those entrusted to their
care. For this reason, the
Whatsapp, and Youtube
new document establishes
among those sites blocked,
a clearer set of universal
according to CNN.
procedures for reporting
Other safety precautions
suspected abuse, carrying
undertaken by the
out initial investigations
government include
and protecting victims and
enforcement of curfews
whistleblowers.
and banning face veils. The
The new document, given
government has also sought
“motu proprio,” on the pope’s
to suppress the jiihadist
own initiative, was titled
group National Thowheeth
“Vos estis lux mundi” (“You
Jama’ath, whom the police
are the light of the world”),
say was responsible for the
based on a verse from the
attacks. ISIS leaders have
Gospel of St. Matthew (5:14).
also claimed responsibility
“The crimes of sexual
for the bombings, saying the
abuse offend Our Lord,
local jihadists had pledged
cause physical, psychological
loyalty to the Islamic State.
and spiritual damage to
According to The Guardian,
the victims and harm the
56 people have been arrested
community of the faithful,”
in c onne c t ion w it h t he
the pope said in the
attacks, 13 safe-houses have
document, released by the
been discovered, and 41 bank
Vatican May 9. The norms
accounts belonging to the
go into effect June 1.
bombers have been found.
In order to stop all
However, police officials have
forms of abuse from ever
continued to caution people
happening again, not only is
about potential threats.
“a continuous and profound
Since the attacks, Catholic
conversion of hearts”
charity groups have provided
necessary, there must be
aid to the victims and their
“concrete and effective
families. UCA News reported
actions that involve everyone
that Caritas Sethsarana
in the church,” he wrote.
has been funding medical
Cardinal Marc Ouellet,
services, transportation
prefect of the Congregation
assistance, legal support,
for Bishops, said the new
and home repair.
norms ascribe a new role
“We have identified those
to heads of dioceses by
who have been heavily
making them responsible for
traumatized, and counseling
alerting the proper Vatican
by professionals is underway,”
authorities of all forms of
said Father Claude Nonis, an
suspected abuse, including
organizer for these church-
the possession, distribution
run operations.
or creation of pornography
“I was inspired by what
involving a minor.
I saw Caritas doing,” a
He told Vatican News May
policeman at one of the
9 that the norms respond
hospitals told UCA News.
to Pope Francis’ continued
“They were right there with
insistence for concrete
the families, helping them to
and effective measures to
identify the bodies, and they
ensure bishops and religious
stayed with them until all the
superiors have a very clear
necessary arrangements had
understanding of what their
been made.” (CNA)
obligations are and what
they should and should
not do when it comes to
safeguarding.
It also requires all priests
and religious to report
suspected abuse or cover-
ups and encourages any lay
person to report through a
The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica is seen at the Vatican Oct. 9, 2017. Pope Francis has
revised and clarified norms and procedures for holding bishops and religious superiors
accountable in protecting minors as well as in protecting members of religious orders
and seminarians from abuse. PAUL HARING/CNS
now-mandated reporting
“system” or office in each
diocese.
How the office or “system”
works will be up to each
diocese, but “the idea is that
anyone who has suffered
abuse can have recourse
to the local church, while
being assured they will be
well received, protected from
retaliation, and that their
reports will be treated with
the utmost seriousness,”
Andrea Tornielli, editorial
director of the Dicastery
for Communication, told
Vatican News.
The new norms now
stipulate:
• Procedures for the
investigation of bishops,
cardinals, patriarchs,
religious superiors and
all those who lead—even
temporarily—a diocese or
particular church, including
personal prelatures and
personal ordinariates.
• Leaders will be held
accountable not only
with suspected cases
of committing abuse
themselves, but also
accusations of having
interfered with, covered up
or failed to address abuse
accusations they were aware
of.
• When the accused
individual is a bishop, the
metropolitan will receive a
mandate from the Holy See
to investigate or delegate
a person in charge of the
preliminary investigation.
A status report must be sent
to the Holy See every 30
days, and the investigation
completed with 90 days
with some exceptions.
Vatican offices are also held
to specific timeframes and
prompt action.
• By June 2020, every
diocese in the world must
create an office or “public,
stable and easily accessible
systems” for reporting
suspected abuse against a
minor or vulnerable person,
failure of compliance of
abuse guidelines by bishops
or superiors, and cases of
interference or cover-ups
in either a civil or canonical
investigation of suspected
abuse.
• All priests and religious
that become aware of abuse
or its cover-up must alert
their bishop or religious
superior promptly.
• A minor is anyone under
the age of 18 and a vulnerable
person is “any person in a
state of infirmity, physical
or mental deficiency, or
deprivation of personal
liberty which, in fact, even
occasionally, limits their
ability to understand or to
want to otherwise resist the
offense.”
• The definition of
child pornography as
any representation of a
minor, regardless of the
media used, “involved in
explicit sexual activities,
whether real or simulated,
and any representation of
sexual organs of minors for
primarily sexual purposes.”
• Bishops and religious
superiors will be accountable
not just for protecting minors
against abuse but also for
protecting seminarians,
novices and members
of religious orders from
violence and sexual abuse
stemming from an abuse of
power. The norms apply to
reports of “delicts against
the sixth commandment”
regarding clerics or
members of religious orders
and “forcing someone, by
violence or threat or through
abuse of authority, to
perform or submit to sexual
acts.”
• Those who report abuse
cannot be subjected to
pressure, retaliation and
discrimination or told to keep
silent. The seal of confession,
however, remains inviolable
and is not affected by the
new norms.
• Procedures for carrying
out the preliminary
investigation include
the bishop immediately
requesting from the Vatican
that he or a delegate be
assigned to begin the
preliminary investigation. If
he considers an accusation
is unfounded, the papal
nuncio is informed. The
Vatican will have 30 days to
respond to the request and
the bishop sends a status
report to the Vatican every
30 days.
• When the investigation is
complete, the bishop sends
the results to the proper
Vatican office, which then
follows existing canon law.
• The continued obligation
to respect civil laws regarding
mandatory reporting.
• Those who reported
suspected abuse or cover-up
will be told of the outcome
of the investigation if they
request to be informed.
• A fund can be set up by
bishops’ conferences, synods
and church provinces to cover
the costs of investigations.
The document is a follow-
up to Pope Francis’ 2016
document, “As a Loving
Mother,” on transparency
and accountability of
bishops and religious
superiors.
The two documents
together are meant to
correct what had been a
lack of or unclear procedures
for investigating the way
a bishop complies with
already established norms
against abuse and clearly
expressing the consequences
of noncompliance or cover-
ups. (CNS)

Online missionaries reach out to youth

MANILA— Lay Catholic missionaries in photography, film and art to reach out in sharing church teachings.
the Philippines are using the internet as to the youth. “They are more skilled than more
a tool for what they fondly describe as “It all began at the onset of social media mature generations in the use of digital
“online evangelism.” in the Philippines,” said Monsignor platforms,” said the priest. “They know
The Youth Pinoy group uses social Pedro Quitorio, head of the media office very well its dynamics, language and
media as a “conduit to reintroduce of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of trends.”
Christ and create spiritual exchange the Philippines and spiritual adviser to Being lay people, the young Catholics
online.” Youth Pinoy. can package the message of the Gospel
Michael Laxina described the group as Msgr. Quitorio said he formed the in a more relevant and catchy form, said
a community of lay missionaries whose group in 2009 when he was trying to Father Bellen.
A statue of Mary is seen outside St. James Church in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, vocation is to use social media for “new understand online publishing. “I read an Father Jeffrey Segovia of Lingayen-
in this Feb. 27, 2011, file photo. Pope Francis has decided to allow parishes and evangelization.” article that said if you want to address Dagupan Archdiocese said the Church’s
dioceses to organize official pilgrimages to Medjugorje; no decision has been made
on the authenticity of the apparitions. PAUL HARING/CNS They publish stories from members youth, then you must go to social presence in cyberspace is “an important
and other Catholic youth organizations media,’” he said. step to bring the youth from purely
VATICAN— Parishes and the Vatican press office, on social media platforms Facebook After consulting members of the media online to the physical church.”
dioceses are now allowed to confirmed the change, but and Twitter. office on how to engage youngsters He said social media pages like Youth
organize official pilgrimages said care must be taken “We do this to remind the youth that in cyberspace, Msgr. Quitorio led Pinoy’s have the “power to persuade
to Medjugorje, Bosnia- to ensure the pilgrimages Christ is present even in social media,” the formation of a national youth people” to not just rely on what they read
Herzegovina, but it must are not “interpreted as an said Laxina. organization that will perform apostolate online but attend Masses, youth events
be clear that the Catholic authentication of well-known The group’s Facebook account has online. and church activities.
Church has not recognized as events, which still require more than 107,000 followers who get Youth Pinoy was launched at the Father Segovia, however, said
authentic the alleged Marian examination by the church.” news and information about events, University of Santo Tomas when evangelization through social media
apparitions there. Therefore, he said, church- memes and statements from church members branded themselves “online is not an alternative to visiting
Polish Archbishop Henryk sponsored pilgrimages must leaders. missionaries of God.” communities and living with the people.
Hoser, the pope’s apostolic “avoid creating confusion or “We care about the youth who consume Since then, the organization has Msgr. Quitorio said church media
visitor to Medjugorje, and ambiguity from the doctrinal every content of our site,” Laxina said, become a community that “echoes groups need to appreciate diversity
Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, point of view.” adding that they aim to contribute to the the stance of the Catholic Church on and “open ourselves to so many
the nuncio to Bosnia- In 1981, six young people “formation of the young.” religious and political issues.” expressions” to reach out to more
Herzegovina, announced from Medjugorje claimed Unlike other missionaries who go online users.
the pope’s decision to lift the that Mary had appeared to to far-flung places to spread the Good Role of youth in evangelization “As long as we do not go beyond our
ban on official pilgrimages them. Some of the six say News, Youth Pinoy members use their Father Roy Bellen, who serves as vice- parameters in our doctrines and morals,
May 12. Mary still appears to them skills “to bear witness to their Catholic president for operations at church-run we can dominate cyberspace ... that is
Alessandro Gisotti, and gives them messages faith through creative means.” They Veritas 846 radio station, said young new evangelization,” said the priest.
the interim director of Pilgrimages / A7 use their talent in writing, music, people have an important role to play (Mark Saludes/UCAN)
A4 OPINION May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

Were those glitches merely technical?

SUSPICIONS surrounding the 2019 midterm elections are
mounting. Although the Commission on Elections (Comelec)
has assessed that this political exercise was quite a success,
there is a growing speculation that it may have been rigged.
For one, people are asking why after the first volley of
data transmissions at election night, the transparency
mirror servers were suddenly halted for about seven hours.
Early morning of the following day the transparency servers
recorded 92.89% of the nationwide elections returns.
But then at about 5:50 AM, GMA News reported that the
ERs posted at the same servers recoiled back to 49.76%.
Reportedly, the tech guys of Comelec blamed the snafu on
“java error”. How on earth could a very serious nationwide
tally be so technically irresponsible and backward in a time
and age when even kids in school know coding and the
facility of the programming language?
After 3 automated elections or 9 years of cuddling the
vote counting machines (VCM), the technical glitches have

ILLUSTRATION BY BLADIMER USI

worsened. In 2010, only 205 VCMs malfunctioned. This
year, the 4th of automated exercise, 600 VCMs conked out, as
if the billions of pesos budget were not enough to refurbish the
machines that are used only once in every three years. Add
to these woes were about 1,665 secure digital (SD) cards that
did not work and, therefore, had to be replaced during these
elections. In 2016 presidential elections only 120 SD cards
were faulty. SD cards are not simple computer parts that can
be bought openly from third party suppliers, because they can
be preformatted to cause pre-programmed and even erroneous Why an Panaghoy
data memory.
Despite these serious technical glitches, Comelec has
trivialized them saying that they did not destroy the integrity
independent Senate Bp. Broderick Pabillo
of the political exercise. But one malfunctioning VCM that
was not replaced for one reason of the other, could easily have
disenfranchised a good number of voters and, therefore, could
seriously affect the close margins of democratically competing POWER is intoxicating. It is insatiable. or plainly through elimination by killing are courageous and truthful in serving
candidates. The glitches of these technical tools should never Once one has it, one wants to have them, by jailing them or by exile. the country, we have a fair chance of
be dismissed as if they were a small percentage of the total more of it. For this reason, power has Is this not happening in our country preserving democracy in the land. If
number of VCMs. They have major political and credibility to be controlled. This is especially now? The Lower House of Congress is not, then we fall into de facto control of
implications. true of power over people. There is in general subservient to the President the President who is bent on exercising
But how we wish and pray that those glitches were merely then great wisdom that there should who buys them out through favors and power without any control and who is
technical—and not indeed political. be checks and balances for the proper pork barrel allocations. The Supreme very sensitive to criticisms.
exercise of power in governance. In a Court is now under the control of the The bishops of the CBCP had seen
Teaching piety to today’s youth democracy these checks and balances President by ousting the Chief Justice this already back in January. They came
are institutionalized in the different and in the process taming the other out with their pastoral letter on the May
THIS may indeed sound like a pipe dream or an illusion, given branches of the government. Hence, justices. Senator Delima is now two elections entitled: Seek the Common
the way many young people nowadays are, but this simply we have the legislative, the executive years in jail for unproven allegations. Good. It stated: “The year 2019 is not
has to be done. We know that without piety, we would be like and the judiciary which are supposed The Ombudsman and the Comelec just an ordinary election year. The
branches detached from the vine. Death, spiritual more than to be independent of each other and Chairman are appointees of the present midterm election in May 13 is in itself
physical, would just be a matter of time. So, no matter how should check each other. We also have President. The military and the police already crucial. In our country today the
impossible things may look, we just have to do whatever we other institutions which scrutinize the are being wowed by increased salaries checks and balances in the government
can to teach piety to today’s youth. exercise of power, like the press and the and political appointments of retired are being undermined. So far the senate
We doubtless cannot underestimate the complexity of the civil societies, and individual citizens generals in civilian positions; business is the institution in the government that
challenge. Today’s youth, at least a good number of them, are who care for the common good. is being threatened by the controls is holding out as our country is inching
dominated by all sorts of isms and anomalies—materialism, Dictators do not want the checks and of the bureaucracy; press freedom is towards total control. It is very crucial
technologism, agnosticism, atheism, plus pornography, drugs, balances of power because they want threatened by spurious allegations therefore that we elect candidates who
alcoholism, etc. These are some of the demons we have to total control. They do not want to be and false news. Even the church and are principled, courageous, and who
contend with. They certainly are formidable, but let’s remind hampered in their exercise of power. civil societies are fair game for vicious have the common good as their main
ourselves that with God’s grace, nothing is impossible, and if
This is why they tend to control the other jokes and outright threats. In this concern and not their own political
we do things with trust and love for God, everything, including
institutions of governance either by time the Senate is still showing its interests.” In this election then let us
our mistakes, will work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28)
buying them out, or by curtailing their independence. But for how long? This vote for candidates who can assure an
We just have to make sure that we, as elders, lead a genuine
life of piety. That’s simply because we cannot give what we do activities through laws, by breaking their coming election is crucial. If we are able independent senate.
not have, nor teach what we do not know, nor show what we will through coercion and intimidation, to elect independent minded people who Pananaghoy / A6
do not live ourselves. Let’s hope that with our presence alone,
many of today’s youth can feel edified and get inspired and
encouraged to be pious themselves. If we really are pious,
And That’s The Truth
Life after elections
having a vibrant and intimate relationship with God, we cannot
help but also feel the urge to help the others, especially the
Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
young ones, to know, love and serve God as well as to do the
same to the others. This urge is one clear proof that we have
genuine piety. Otherwise, we have reason to doubt about our
piety.
Among the concerns that we have to tackle is the effort to TWO days after the midterm glitches”, because it’s human monumental amount of 10.18 descendants of TRAPOS, too?
adapt things to the way the young ones are nowadays. We have elections, the air still beings, not machines that billion pesos of taxpayers’ Wait a few years—dynasties
to accept and deal with them the way they are, much like what crackles with comments close deals leading to such money was allotted to die hard.
Christ did to bring us to him. We have to learn how to speak and complaints about the unfortunate developments. COMELEC for this year— Lest we forget that life
their language to be able to connect with them, and to present conduct of the democratic And like it or not, they sow voters deserve explanations, goes on outside of our puny
the doctrine of our faith and the practices of piety in the way exercise—mostly revolving doubt and suspicion in the not excuses that insult their political concerns, we turn
they can understand, appreciate and make as their own. around the disconnect mind of voters. intelligence. Those involved our attention to “the world
We should not ignore the very conspicuous fact that many between Comelec’s claim Would you not smell should be transparent and outside”, recall the news and
of the young people today find the doctrine of our faith quite of the “successful and something fishy that the open their documents for read the message behind
abstruse, way above their head. They seem unable to connect peaceful” election and malfunctions and the public scrutiny—or risk events.
and relate. Or their understanding of it is shallow and with a the voters’ contrary delays in the transmission repeating the same rotten At the beginning of this year,
lot of gaps. The same with the many practices of piety which observation regarding the of results, et al, would be mistakes. on January 27, the Our Lady
they often find to be anachronistic to their current lifestyle. 600 malfunctioning vote- explained away by a simple On the upside? Political of Mount Carmel cathedral
Many young people today have the bias that these practices of counting machines (VCM). “Java error”, or “walang dynasties have reportedly in Jolo was bombed, killing
piety are only for some ‘special’ people. Whether our bets won or signal” in the area? Or by been toppled, with former 22 worshippers, as Mass was
Let’s hope and pray that we the elders can have the versatility lost, we will all continue the claim that the SD cards Goliaths downed by emerging being celebrated. Last Easter
and creativity that genuine piety can actually give. We need losing if we dismiss these were “defective” because they Davids. Really? Look again— Sunday, three churches in
to loosen up for this very exciting ‘game’ of teaching piety to irregularities as “normal”, were “not bundled with the four members of the Marcos Sri Lanka were attacked,
the youth. Let’s take advantage of the new technologies and especially since the deals with Smartmatic package?”Maybe clan won in Ilocos Norte; and again killing worshippers
growing amount of literature that can help us adapt ourselves
Smartmatic have long been we can shrug off a dozen the Cayetanos are lording it that numbered to hundreds.
to the young ones.
under question. They are or so malfunctioning VCM over in Taguig. And aren’t the Last May 12, during Mass, an
We may have to organize games, camps, excursions. But give
special attention to winning their friendship and confidence worse than mere “technical as lemons, but not 600! A newly elected leaders mostly And That’s the Truth / A6
and entering into their private individual lives in order to help
them. As true friends, we should give and share with them the
greatest good we can have, and that is to bring them to God and Let’s build Candidly Speaking
to make them see and feel all the goodness and love of God.
a beautiful world Fr. Roy Cimagala

Monitor
CBCP
THIS should be our burning desire. for his part, he is most willing to share whether well fed or hungry, whether
And we should put all our strength in that sense of beauty with us who are his living in plenty or in want. I can do
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE this direction. To be sure, it is for the image and likeness and children of his. everything through him who gives me
good of all. Yes, we can and should To build a beautiful world, we have strength.” (Phil 4,11-13)
Pedro Quitorio build a beautiful world. But we have to learn to connect the often hidden We need to understand that beauty
Editor-in-Chief to start with our own selves, and then dots between the material and the is a matter of love that comes from
from us, let’s spread the fever around. spiritual, the temporal and the eternal, God and that brings us back to him,
Nirva’ana E. Delacruz Ron Ramos, Sky Ortigas And by starting with our own selves, the mundane and the sacred, the inside transforming us into his image and
Associate Editor Design Artists we mean that we have to make sure our and the outside. We have to learn to find likeness. Beauty is not just mainly
spiritual life is first of all in order. That’s meaning in every situation in our life, physical or mathematical. It’s not simply
Roy Lagarde Mercedita Juanite because failing in this, no matter what be it pleasant or unpleasant, joyful or a matter of proportion, of texture, of
News Editor Circulation Manager
we do outside us, it is not going to be a sorrowful. The big problem we have feelings and the like. It’s a matter of love.
Marcelita Dominguez beautiful world we will be building, no today is precisely our failure to connect It’s not meant to fade and die. It’s meant
Christine Paguirigan
Managing Editor Comptroller matter how we these dots. to last in eternity.
manage to project some signs of As St. Paul would put it, “I have With this love, we would know how
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the beauty in it. learned to be content whatever the to derive good from evil, how to purify
CBCP - Media Office with editorial and business offices
at 3rd Floor, CBCP Compound, 470 General Luna We have to understand that beauty, circumstances. I know what it is to be what is dirty, how to supernaturalize
Street, Intramuros, Manila. Email Address: cbcpmonitor@ the real beauty that can take on any in need, and I know what it is to have what is simply natural. We would know
areopaguscommunications.com, Business: (632) 404 - 1612.
ISSN 1908-2940. condition we can find ourselves in this plenty. I have learned the secret of how to deal with our limitations and
world, can only be found in God. And being content in any and every situation, Candidly Speaking / A7
CBCP Monitor May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 OPINION A5

Dealing with the aftermath

By the Roadside Collection Box
Fr. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr. SThD Fr. Jerome R. Secillano, MPA

“Reports of vote-buying are massive
throughout the country.” —Gen.
Albayalde, PNP, CNN Philippines, May
13, 2019
“VOTE-BUYING has been an integral
part of an election in the Philippines.
Yang pagboto, lahat yan walang di
nagbibili ng boto dito, maniwala ka
(in voting, not one of them does not
buy votes, believe me)....”— President,
Republic of the Philippines, after having
voted, Davao City, Rappler, May 13,
2019.
Is this among the reasons behind the
results? Does this justify the violation of
the country’s election laws prohibiting
as illegal vote-buying as defined by art.
181.1 of Section 15 on Election Offenses?
Or was election vote-buying so massive
it was decided by other factors, such
as the high popularity of the president
comparable to the so-called “Cory
magic” of the 90s?
While local elections have varied
results, in the national race for the
senate, the administration candidates
are poised to win all twelve vacant seats,
effectively excluding all opposition
bets. Naturally the chief executive and
his supporters are ecstatic and take
this to be a concrete expression of
the very high popular support to his
administration and its advocacies. The
president’s spokesman even attributes
the administration bets’ victory in the
senate race to the people believing more
the narrative of the president on the
“matrix” and other issues (EJKs, drug
war, TRAIN law etc.) than those of his
political enemies.
1. As a gut sense, it goes without saying
that the administration’s “political
enemies” could include the Catholic
Church’s hierarchy. The president’s
incessant tirades are more than enough
proof of this. The overwhelming
victory of the presidential bets despite
One who did not vote
intelligently has no right
to complain
AS of press time, all the candidates in the
mid-term elections on May 13, 2019 are
doing their “huling hirit” (last hurrah or
last minute campaign). Political parties
are staging motorcades and holding
“miting de avance”. By the time you
read this column, winners might have
been proclaimed by the Comelec in the
local level like the provincial, city and
municipal, and congressional district
representatives who would sit in the
House of Representatives.
It might, however, take a week
to know who would be the winners
in the national level. The chairman
and members of the Commission
on Elections sitting en banc, shall
compose the National Board of
Canvassers for senators and party-list
representatives. It shall canvass the
results by consolidating the certificates
of canvass electronically transmitted.
Thereafter, the national board shall
proclaim the winning candidates for
senators and party-list representatives.
The Comelec accredited the Parish
Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
or PPCRV as its citizen-arm during
the May 13, 2019 elections, Aside
from conducting voters’ education,
poll watching and voters’ assistance
(to locate their respective polling
efforts of both “discerning” clergy and
“enlightened” Catholic lay leaders
to campaign for the opposition bets
“in order to preserve an independent
senate”, the Filipino electorate massively
ignored their voices and took the side of
the incumbent leader and chose his
anointed candidates. I remember our
own diocesan strong and consistent
campaign against vote-buying, myself
taking it up actively in my parish
assignment and in our newly-reopened
media outlet. The realities on the ground
feel like a heavy slap on our faces, as
most of our voices now appear to have
effectively fallen on deaf ears. Most of
our voters, who are mostly poor, chose
to sell their votes rather than heed the
call of their spirits.
2. The terribly disappointing massive
character of vote-buying, not to say the
defeat of perceived “more principled
and more capable choices” should serve
as a reality check for the Church. It is,
first of all, a lesson in humility. Not
because the ordained are recognized
spiritual leaders should they assume
to be entitled to receptivity, let alone
submissive obedience. We need to re-
examine our approaches to resolving
vote-buying and persuading the voting
faithful to make good, moral choices.
Rather than appear condescending to
the flock for our high moral stand, we
should also take pains to see where they
are—abject poverty or lack of adequate
education—and how these factor in their
choices. They certainly do not doubt the
sanctity of their votes; but they cannot
likewise deny the urgent grumblings of
their material needs.
3. The now familiar (constant, too)
verbal attacks by the president against
the Catholic Church and its bishops and
priests could very well have conditioned
many Catholics against her and their
receptivity to whatever moral-spiritual
Duc in Altum
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago
places), PPCRV will also conduct
unofficial parallel count. It will receive
transmissions of results through its
transparency server and compare these
results with the 4th copy of election
returns which its volunteers nationwide
will secure from the Comelec.
PPCRV campaigns for One Good
Vote, to have Clean, Honest, Accurate,
Meaningful and Peaceful (CHAMP)
elections. We, the PPCRV volunteers,
hope and pray that all the Filipino
voters will vote intelligently the
candidates who are pro-God, pro-
country, pro-poor, qualified, and were
never involved in graft and corruption
and plunder cases. When we vote for
senators and representatives, we must
vote those who are qualified to craft
laws, defend the West Philippine Sea,
knowledgeable on whether to have
charter change. Let us vote for those
who oppose Death Penalty, Divorce,
Euthanasia or mercy killing, Abortion,
Total population control, Homosexual
or same sex union, anti-family, anti-
life, anti-Church, anti-Religion bills
which had been filed and may be filed
in Congress. We pray that the voters
discern who among the senatorial
candidates they will vote because more
than ever, we need an independent
guidelines her leaders provide their
flock. As a strategy or tactic, it seems
to be paying off. That is to say, despite
its being reminiscent of the Hitlerian
dictum that “a lie repeated many times
becomes truth”. Just as the personal
attacks against the opposition bets are
acknowledged even by pro-government
analysts to have negatively impacted
their campaigns, so must the hierarchy
realize how the verbal abuse against the
Church and the faith has eroded her
pastors’ credibility and effectiveness
as agents of social renewal. There must
be a humble acknowdgement of our
failures but also a renewed commitment
to preach the Good News in the socio-
political arena “in season and out of
season, reproving, entreating, rebuking,
with all patience and doctrine” (2 Tim
4:2).
4. The massive vote-buying in
Philippine elections is usually paired
with our massive poverty. I have no
doubt there is much grain of truth to
it. But this could also be overstated.
The poor are not incapable, first of
all, of obeying the law of the land that
prohibits vote-buying or vote-selling.
They certainly are to be persuaded
to bear in mind that being followers
of Jesus Christ includes obedience
to duly constituted human authority.
“Let every person be subject to the
governing authorities. For there is no
authority except that from God, and
those that exist come from him” (Rom
13:1). Moreover, although it is true that
our people being mostly poor, they
easily succumb to vote-buying, vote-
buying itself is anti-poor. For moneyed
candidates to take advantage of our
people’s poverty by giving them cash or
other goods to get their votes is to mock
their humanity. The words of Proverbs
are in point: “Whoever despises the poor
By the Roadside / A7
senate at this point in time.
Let us observe due diligence that
our vote is counted by the machines.
Watch out for notorious persons who
are out to thwart the will of the people.
The voice of the people is the voice
of God. We pray that the 2.5 Million
new voters will go out and vote the
right candidates. These new voters are
the young people who will inherit the
government that we elect. They should
be responsible enough to discern
whom to vote, since “we deserve the
government that we get.”
***
Two days before election day, Bishop
Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David of the
Diocese of Kalookan released a video
sharing his view on how to vote.
Bishop Ambo said “Ang pagboto ay
hindi lang isang importanteng sangkap
ng demokrasya. Ito ay paraan din
upang mapanatili ang demokrasya
sa pamamagitan ng pagpili ng mga
tamang kandidatong ang pangunahing
paninindigan ay para sa saligang
batas at sa ikabubuti ng nakararami
at hindi para sa interes ng mga patron
at mga kapartido sa pulitika, lalo
na ng mga nasa kapangyarihan na.”
Duc in Altum / A7
What elections
mean for change
THE election this week is again another crucial test for
Filipinos to exercise prudence and wisdom in choosing
candidates for elective positions. Different lay groups and
movements endorsed candidates who they claimed passed the
criteria or standards that are most beneficial to the country
and to the millions of poor Filipinos.
These groups studied the issues confronting the nation
and identified the candidates who they believe can best
deliver the hopes of the suffering citizenry. But while they are
very persistent in pushing for their advocacy, there may be
millions of voters out there who are simply waiting to have
their votes bought and thus basically throw away whatever
noble objectives these groups have.
In a meeting with top officials of the Philippine National
Police (PNP), it was again pointed out that vote-buying is very
rampant and has taken on varying forms and degrees. The
most common is for candidates have a barangay or community
leaders identify whose votes to buy, delivering the money
right on the voter’s doorstep on the eve of the elections or on
election day itself.
The practice is hardly surprising as it is already part
of Filipino culture come election time. The PNP officials
admitted that law enforcement alone is not enough to stop it
and that education and formation of voters may be beneficial
in the long run.
The PNP has, therefore, launched a movement called ASIN
(Ang Suhol Iwaksi Natin) and ILAW (Itaguyod ang Legal at
Wastong pangangampanya) in partnership with different
religious sects, which unfortunately did not include the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
The program is focused on educating the electorate about
the disadvantages of vote-selling and a campaign to have
candidates shun vote-buying. It hopes to form a culture
of honesty, one that is against political patronage that has
permeated politics in our country.
The Catholic Church, through the Parish Pastoral Council
for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), has been vigorously involved
for years in voters’ education and formation but still saw the
practice constantly recurring come election time. I believe in
the power of education to transform mindsets and principles,
but the poverty of hapless Filipinos is just simply too difficult
to overcome. Grabbing the opportunity to earn something
even just for a day is considered nobler than voting for the
right and best candidates.
Part of this education should perhaps focus on ‘’reclaiming’’
God’s presence in public life. The world has been very much
secularized. The Philippines is not spared from it. We see
and hear people shun God and disrespect Him in public
discourses. Hitting religion and the Catholic Church have
also become the favorite pastime of some. Worse part is the
applause and seeming support of the public each time the
Church is bashed.
It is not that we should spare the Church from criticisms, but
the attacks are baseless, false, and exaggerated. The motive is
obviously to discredit the Church and to reduce her influence
in society. People are relentlessly fed with wrong information.
Critics repeat these lies at every turn that they now appear to
be true, hence, seem worthy of people’s belief.
When some churches, therefore, do not allow funeral
Masses on Sundays, it is not because the one requesting is
poor but simply because liturgical laws do not allow it. Not
too many people know that Sunday liturgy takes precedence
over other liturgical celebrations, hence, funeral Masses are
usually scheduled on other days of the week. To put it plainly,
social status is not the real issue here but the liturgical laws
that the Church is bound to follow. Unfortunately, some
pea-brained Filipinos chose to believe the spin, thus, making
the Church look like an inconsiderate and elitist institution
that is incapable of serving the people without monetary
consideration.
At some point, the propaganda is working. But real truth
cannot be hidden for long. People who truly love our country
should find ways to make the truth known by unmasking
layers and layers of lies propagated by the true enemies of
the State whose callousness knows no bounds and is certainly
beyond the principles of ethics and decency.
So, who is truly capable of serving without the usual
financial windfall? The politicos who will do everything come
hell or high water just to be elected? Only stupid people
would believe that these politicians have their eyes on public
service and not on the prize that goes with elective positions.
Collection Box / A6

Whatever ‘Nagtatanim’
Fr. Francis Ongkingco

MEDIEVAL religious
representations of our Lord had
him wearing some sort of straw hat
and shouldering a hoe. As Jesus
walks on, he has his head inclined,
looking down at a kneeling woman
who seems to be stopping him from
going on: the Magdalene.
It isn’t difficult to understand
why they conceived this catechetical
representation of our Lord: the
Gospels after all, attest that Mary
Magdalene thought that Jesus was
the gardener who was in-charge of
the tomb’s surroundings.
Why did she mistake him for the
gardener? Archaeological findings
explain that Mary was kneeling
at the tomb’s lower level. Jesus,
however, was standing on ground
level when he approached her from
behind. Thus, when Mary turned
around, she was only be able to see
Jesus’ feet from where she was.
It was only when our Lord greeted
her in his familiar tone that Mary
was able to recognize Him. We
could imagine how she embraced
his feet, unwilling that he should
ever again escape from her sight.
This great devotion of Mary must
have moved our Lord’s merciful
heart.
Our Lord represented as a
gardener, however, can give us
many spiritual insights. Indeed,
Jesus is the divine gardener of the
soul who wishes our good ground
to produce a rich harvest. It is up
to each one, however, to consider
how to invest his time and talents
in making his spiritual garden
fruitful.
This reminded me of a saying
we Filipinos have of nag-tatanim.
The expression usually has a
negative connotation and often
related to anger and revenge. How
unfortunate that such a positive
term as sowing would be connected
to something as vengeful and vile.
On the other hand, the concept of
sowing is so wonderful. Our Lord
often uses it in his parables and
encourages us to sow well so that
the seeds of our blessings will reap a
hundredfold. This is very important
if we also consider another parable
of Jesus referring to the enemy who
sowed bad seeds.
Jesus warns us that if we are not
vigilant, the devil himself will sow
bad seed in our souls. From these
vicious seeds, we will not reap
anything good and will gradually
affect and infect others to sowing
bad seeds.
Instead of sowing bad seeds
let us focus on the seeds that
Jesus our gardener wants us to
cooperate in sowing in our lives, in
the Church and in other souls. This
is a wonderful adventure of coming
out with our own brand of holiness
that Pope Francis encouraged all
youthful souls to consider.
“(…) you won’t become holy
and find fulfilment by copying
others. Imitating the Saints does
not mean copying their lifestyle
and their way of living holiness:
‘There are some testimonies that
may prove helpful and inspiring,
but that we are not meant to
copy, for that could even lead us
astray from the one specific path
that the Lord has in mind for us
(Gaudete et Exsultate, #11)’. You
have to discover who you are and
develop your own way of being
holy, whatever others may say or
think. Becoming a saint means
becoming more fully yourself,
becoming what the Lord wished
to dream and create, and not a
photocopy. Your life ought to be a
prophetic stimulus to others and
leave a mark on this world, the
unique mark that only you can
leave. Whereas if you simply copy
someone else, you will deprive
this earth, and heaven too, of
something that no one else can
offer.” (Christus vivit, #162)
Rather than be burdened by the
possibility of sowing bad seeds, let us
take the lead in discovering the good
seeds that only we could sow while
we live. This is the divine invitation
and journey that the divine gardener
calls us to. May we cling to Him
firmly, so that His presence in our
lives will always help sow good seeds.
This would be ultimately the best
way of understanding nag-tatanim!
A6 LOCAL NEWS
Bohol dioceses lead clean-
up of campaign trash
Bishop Alberto Uy leads a clean-up drive in Tagbilaran City on May 14, a day after the
country’s midterm elections. COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF TAGBILARAN
CATHOLIC leaders and lay
people in Bohol province
headed to the streets on May
14 to clean up and dismantle
campaign materials.
Holding brooms and
garbage bags, Bishop Alberto
Uy of Tagbilaran led a group
of volunteers to clean the
streets of trash generated
during Monday’s elections.
The prelate lauded those
who joined the initiative,
and promised to lead more
of such exercises to keep the
environment clean.
“Let’s help each other… by
doing this, we also give good
examples to other people in
our country,” Bishop Uy said.
Suppress / A1
“Let us take courage in the
knowledge that no matter
how despots strive to stifle
freedom of expression and
thought, the media, the truth,
the people, will outlive them,”
the NUJP said a statement.
Foreign correspondents
based in Manila also urged
their fellow journalists to
Pananaghoy / A4
Already bills on death
penalty, on the lowering of the
age of criminality to 12 years
old, and on Constitutional
Change have been passed by
subservient Congress. It is
the Senate which stop them
from becoming laws of the
land. Pork Barrel insertions
were done by the Lower
House and it is the Senate
who called the attention of
the nation to these insertions.
The President is making a lot
And That’s the Truth / A4
attack on a Catholic church in
central Burkina Faso left six
persons dead, including the
priest; it was the third attack
on a church in five weeks in
that country.
In Germany, at least eight
churches have been vandalized
and damaged since early
April. Apparently random
attacks have also been noted
in Scotland, England, Poland,
Spain, Italy and Austria, and
continued attacks on churches
in France have been reported
despite the national outpouring
of grief that followed the fire
that devastated Notre Dame
Cathedral April 15.
The sacrilegious acts include
the decapitation of a statue
of the Virgin Mary; bashing
a statue of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus; stealing crucifixes,
candlesticks, and consecrated
hosts; overturning and
smashing statues of Saints;
defacing church doors with
anti-Catholic slogans; and
setting sacristies on fire.
A desecration of a different
kind took place during last
Easter Mass in the church of
San Giovanni in Trieste, Italy,
when a man who was receiving
communion responded to the
traditional formula “the Body of
Christ” by saying “Thanks”and
then asking “What part of the
body is this?” Before the shocked
congregation he walked away,
carrying the consecrated host
and denouncing the Catholic
religion.
For the longest time the
Church has been rocked by
sex scandals—all over the
world priests have had to face
charges and allegations of
pedophilia and sexual abuse.
The Church has had to defrock
high-profile Cardinals for the
same offenses, and during the
The same initiative is also
being done in the adjacent
Diocese of Talibon led by
Bishop Daniel Parcon.
Bishop Uy also appealed
to winning and losing
candidates to take down their
campaign materials.
Regardless of the outcome
of the elections, he said
that candidates should lead
the cleanup and up-cycling
activities.
“This may also reduce the
election fever and help us
move on and move forward,”
the prelate said.
“Win or lose, please help
us,” Bishop Uy appealed.
(CBCPNews)
“close ranks” amid efforts to
muzzle the media in different
parts of the world.
“When we lose our freedom
to report the truth, everyone
loses. We lose our dignity. We
lose our soul,” the Foreign
Correspondents Association
of the Philippines (FOCAP)
said. (CBCPNews)
of international agreements
with China behind the
backs of the Filipinos. It is
within the competence of
the Senate to question these
international deals. Where
would we be if the President’s
people and allies fill up the
senate hall?
We need strong opposition
to preserve our democratic
space. We need a strong
senate who can prevent the
onrush of totalitarianism.
summit on clerical sex abuse
held in Rome last February,
Pope Francis promised an end
to cover ups.
So what’s new? Such
scandals as recorded in history
books have been there since
time immemorial, but now
with the internet and social
media, news of one offense is
magnified millions of times
over, and it hurts the soul in
ways that may scar it for life.
What is the Church to do?
“At that time news reached
me of the harm being done in
France and of the havoc the
heretics had caused and how
much this miserable sect was
growing. The news distressed
me greatly, and as though I
could do something or were
something, I cried to the Lord
and begged Him to remedy
this great evil…The world is
on fire. Men try to condemn
Christ once again, as it were,
for they bring a thousand false
witnesses against Him. They
would raze His church to the
ground. Are we to waste our
time asking for things that if
God were to give them we’d
have one soul less in Heaven?
No…this is no time to treat
with God for things of little
importance.”
These are the words of the
great saint from Avila, Teresa
of Jesus. Today, after almost
500 years, they ring relevant,
timely, and true. Face to
face with the attacks on the
Body of Christ, do we have
more time to waste on our
mundane businesses? Are we
to continue trusting in partisan
politics and things that lure us
away from Christ? Divorced
from the cross of Christ even
the most brilliant political
platforms on earth cannot save
us. And that’s the truth.
May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 CBCP Monitor
Nun who fought for social justice dies
SISTER Crecensia “Cres”
Lucero, a known human
rights defender, has died on
May 15. She was 77.
Sr. Lucero, a missionary
from the Franciscan Sisters of
the Immaculate Conception,
died after suffering a stroke
the week before.
The nun was attending
a convention on human
rights with Forum-Asia in
Jakara, Indonesia when she
had a stroke, which caused
cerebral hemorrhage.
She was rushed to Gatot
Soebroto Army Hospital
where she underwent
surgery the following day.
Sr. Lucero was a long-time
advocate for the oppressed
and marginalized, and a
Sister Crescencia “Cres” Lucero, SFIC
fighter for human rights, Philippines (AMRSP). Forum-Asia said. for all those working for
peace and justice in the She was also part of the “We can only commit human rights and ecological
Philippines. Forum-Asia family for a ourselves to continuing advocacies.
For many years, she led long time, including serving her struggle, and honor “Her passing away
the Task Force Detainees as a member of the executive her by standing with, for is big loss for us, for the
of the Philippines as committee. and behind the grass-roots Church, and for our country
chairperson of the Justice, “We cannot express what communities that she so especially in this dark time
Peace and Integrity of a loss the passing of Sister wholeheartedly supported,” of our society,” said Fr.
Creation Commission of Cres is for the human rights it added. Angelito Cortez, AMRSP
the Association of Major movement in the Philippines The AMRSP said Sr. coexecutive secretary.
Religious Superiors in the and in the rest of Asia,” the Lucero was an inspiration (CBCPNews)
Rampant / A1
buying marred the polls. will are the results,” he said. (VCMs) that malfunctioned.
“Reports of vote-buying with pictures The Commission on Elections The Comelec said there were about
of money and shaded sample ballots are (Comelec) admitted that vote buying 400 to 600 VCMs that malfunctioned
just so disheartening,” Alminaza said. incidents in this year’s polls are worse and had to be replaced.
In the Philippines, vote-buying has than the 2016 elections. These make at least a 220 percent
been part of every election despite laws Comelec Commissioner Rowena increase in malfunction cases than the
restricting it. Guanzon also noted that the amount 2016 polls.
The bishop said he’s starting to believe of bribe in exchange for votes has The Parish Pastoral Council for
that some politicians and rich people increased. Responsible Voting (PPCRV) also
“don’t really want to alleviate people After a 10-hour voting period, polling monitored such incidents.
from poverty so they can always control stations closed in most part of the But PPCRV executive director Maribel
them”. country at 6pm on Monday. Buenaobra said they are still collating
“I’m having doubts how truly free and The elections, however, were marred all incident reports before making a
informed are the votes cast and how by glitches, including technical issues general assessment of the elections.
reflective or indicative of the people’s related to vote-counting machines (CBCPNews)
Analysis / A1
should be addressed directly an escalating gradation of estis into force in their own Before the February
by ecclesiastical authorities. crimes and correspondent dioceses. summit, Pope Francis
But ought those situations be penalties. Bishops like Baltimore’s repeatedly stated his
treated the same? It is not clear when the Archbishop William Lori intention not to provide a
Applying the Church’s new CDF might publish such a have already begun taking universal and comprehensive
policy, some canonists have document, or even if it will independent initiatives, canonical solution to the
said, requires that Church address these questions. But like setting up third party sexual abuse crisis. Rather,
officials clarify that different those concerns might be reporting mechanisms, to the pope’s stated aim was to
kinds of offenses will, and addressed by other Vatican address the current crisis. provide a global framework
should, merit different kinds or diocesan offices. Bishops might soon decide which supported bishops in
of penalties. It is possible that bishops to also establish localized their own responsibilities.
At the close of the global might soon request guidance policies reflecting the norms Despite Francis’s insistence
summit on sexual abuse in from the Congregation for of Vos estis. that he is providing a
February, the organizing Clergy, the curial department Bishops are canonically foundation for local dioceses
committee announced which receives the vast free to establish their own to build upon, many bishops
that the follow-up from majority of cases involving guidelines on how they will are still tempted to look to
the meeting would include priestly misconduct and be applying the new norms of Rome or the national bishops’
a motu proprio, now requests for laicization. Vos estis, offering what many conference to tell them what
published. They also said Given that the Congregation of the faithful say they want to do next.
that the Congregation for the for Clergy has long handled most to see: clear, concrete, In the same way that no
Doctrine of the Faith would clerical sexual issues not steps towards reform in their investigative model or review
produce a vademecum, a defined as sufficiently grave own home dioceses. board can insulate the Church
practical and procedural to be sent to the CDF, its Diocesan norms could also from individual episcopal
handbook, outlining for experience could prove provide the reassurances negligence, no papal decree
bishops their responsibilities. valuable to bishops trying to that many priests are hoping of conference policy can
Many in Rome and in understand new canonical for regarding their rights substitute for conversion
diocesan chanceries have definitions and their in the face of accusations, and leadership by individual
told CNA they hope that implications. credible or otherwise, and bishops. Rome has spoken,
such a manual will address At the same time, bishops the assurance that “zero- and bishops will now face the
these concerns, spelling out themselves might begin to act tolerance” will not be a challenge of carrying out the
or at least acknowledging to bring the provisions of Vos byword for summary justice. pope’s direction.
Glitches / A1
resolved,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, System (AES) Watch stated that “unless initiated 82 enhancements of the automated
Caritas executive secretary. glaring vulnerabilities of the automated machines to ensure integrity and accuracy
The bold call was made after reports election system and the non-compliance of the 2019 mid-term elections.
of possible fraud were received by of the critical provisions of RA 9369 are “However, we have seen how some of
Caritas due to major technical glitches resolved, the 2019 elections will create these enhancements still failed during
involving vote counting machines and credibility issues.” the May 13 elections resulting to the
transparency servers. It said that major constraints left alarming perception of election fraud,”
In 2016, only 188 VCMs were reported unresolved by Comelec and Smartmatic quipped Gariguez.
to malfunction nationwide. In 2019, this are the absence of public access to “Therefore, it is but imperative for the
number increased to 400-600 VCMs. election data, the lack of comprehensive Comelec to postpone the proclamation
and credible source code review, and the of the winners for the senatorial race
Unresolved issues lack of digital signatures. until the alleged fraud-tainted results
Earlier, the Automated Election The Comelec, since September 2018, has are validated and cleared,” he said.
Collection Box / A5
It is, therefore, paramount to visits to Germany and mulled However, when I asked some but has not truly delivered
really consider what Cardinal over the idea of having one senatorial and local candidates on that promise almost
Chito Tagle suggested in in the Philippines. Who will about the problems people tell three years after. What we
one of our clergy meetings, do it? Maybe the Church can. them during the campaign, are seeing right now are
to establish an institution, Politics in the Philippines is they said they are the same as sporadic small changes
a formation center that will an enterprise. It is a business before, like unemployment, that the administration
educate, train, and form investment that usually health issues, etc. This simply would forcefully pass on as
future leaders on the true yields huge returns through tells me that for all the years significant achievements
essence of public service. The corruption and political that they are supposed to be but have, in fact, not made
focus is not on the academic patronage. The money used serving the people, they’ve even the slightest impact
aspect of it, the University for buying votes is just a not been able to solve these on the life of the people.
of the Philippines (UP) and small amount compared to problems and could only offer Many are still poor,
other schools have that what politicians will get once endless promises which people unemployed, uneducated,
already, but the formation elected. Well, not all politicians naively believe even without homeless, and some
of conscience and the heart are corrupt or soul-less, but the assurance of being fulfilled. lifeless!
that will make politicians the many years they spent Change is indeed difficult After this election, the
true public servants who will in public service with public to achieve. The present winners will be many times
truly serve the interests of the funds in tow should have at administration won richer but the losers won’t
people. He came across one least by now produced some during the 2016 elections surely be poor much like the
such institution in one of his change in the life of the people. on the pretext of change rest of poor Filipinos.
CBCP Monitor May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 DIOCESAN NEWS A7

Bishop chides Villar for backing coal plant in Negros

SAN CARLOS City—A Catholic bishop
has chided reelectionist Senator
Cynthia Villar for supporting the
construction of coal-fired power plants
in Negros Occidental.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San
Carlos said it was the least he expected
from Villar, who chairs the Senate
committee on environment and natural
resources.
“We are strongly disappointed with
the Senator’s statement throwing
support for the proposed coal-fired
power plant,” Alminaza said.
The bishop said the lawmaker “merely
echoes the lies” sold to the public by the
project’s proponents and its supporters
in the government.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos. FILE PHOTO The senator was in Victoria City on
May 7 for the inauguration of a biomass
power plant.
At a press conference, Villar said that
coal is attractive for poor countries like
the Philippines because they produce
cheaper electricity.
She said it’s about time for the
country to study new technology that
will make coal more acceptable like in
the US.
San Miguel Corp. (SMC) Global Power
is planning to install a 300-megawatt
coal-fired power plant in San Carlos
City.
Bishop Alminaza said that Villar’s
position only showed her “gross
ignorance and incompetence” and
her “lack of foresight, vision and care
for the environment”.
“And there is no such a thing as ‘clean
coal,’” he said.
The prelate also said that Villar is
“out of touch” for saying that coal plants
are in countries where there are high
prices of electricity.
He cited the case of Iloilo which has
at least three coal-fired power plants
but has one of the most expensive
power rates in the country.
The bishop also refuted the senator,
saying that coal plants have already
been closed in many places in the
US, Germany and other European
countries.
As of press time, Villar was leading
the Senate race based on partial counts,
both official and unofficial. (CBCP
News)

Religious, rights groups fight ‘red tagging’ New bishop ready to face threats
DAGUPAN City— A new
A RELIGIOIUS of nuns Catholic bishop in the
and priests have asked the northern Philippines has
Philippines’ highest court expressed his readiness to
for legal protection against face threats after recent
threats to their lives after attacks against church
they were tagged as having leaders in the country.
links to terror groups by the Bishop Fidelis Layog,
military. auxiliary bishop of Lingayen-
The Rural Missionaries Dagupan, called on members
of the Philippines (RMP) of the clergy not to fear for
joined other human rights their lives.
organizations in filing a “Being threatened and
petition on May 6 for writs attacked has always been
of amparo and habeas data the experience of the
before the Supreme Court. Catholic Church from the
The writ of amparo very beginning,” said the new
(protection) was instituted prelate during his ordination
by the Supreme Court in on May 8.
2007 as a legal remedy to “The Church has faced
any person who felt that his persecutions in the past and
life, liberty and security were even up to this time. Let us
FILE PHOTO
Authorities have offered
to provide security to the
bishops and members
of the clergy, which was
declined.
In 2018, gunmen shot dead
three Catholic priests. Fr.
Mark Ventura was killed
in the town of Gattaran in
Cagayan province on April
29, four months after Fr.
Marcelito Paez was killed
in Nueva Ecija province. In
June, Fr. Richmond Nilo
was shot dead in the city of
Cabanatuan.
Bishop Layog, however,
said the foundation of the
Church “has been tested for a
long time now and up to the
present.”
“We must accept and face

threatened by an unlawful act
or omission of a government
official.
The writ of habeas data
(access to information) was
introduced by the Supreme
Court in 2008 to give
individuals the right to find out
what information is being kept
about them by the government,
and to demand its updating,
rectification or destruction.
The RMP, an organization
of priests, nuns and lay
people, claimed that one of
its members was a victim
of extrajudicial killing while
others have been detained.
Australian missionary nun
Patricia Fox, a member of
the RMP who drew the ire of
President Rodrigo Duterte
for joining protest rallies, was
forced to leave the country
after failing to get her visa
extended.
The missionary
Duc in Altum / A5
(Voting is not only an important
feature of democracy. It is a means to
keep democracy by electing the right
candidates who defend the Constitution
and the good of everyone, not for his
vested interest and that of his backers
or political party, especially those who
are already in power.)
Bishop Ambo clarified why bishops
and priests avoid public endorsement
of candidates. He stated that “our
leadership is in the moral and spiritual
aspect. Involvement in politics is
more appropriate for the laity who
are majority in the church. After the
period when the people were divided
by politics, one of our duties is to unite
the citizens as one family of God. We
will have difficulty to do this duty if we
would publicly endorse a particular
candidate and political party.”
On the issue of whether we can maintain
or not the freedom and democracy in our
Pilgrimages / A3
each day, while others say
they see her only once a year
now.
Diocesan commissions
studied the alleged
apparitions from 1982
to 1984 and again from
1984 to 1986, and the
then-Yugoslavian bishops’
conference studied them
from 1987 to 1990. All three
commissions concluded that
they could not affirm that
a supernatural event was
occurring in the town.
In 2010, retired Pope
Benedict XVI established a
papal commission to study
the alleged apparitions.
The commission’s report
has not been made public,
although some of its points
not fear, knowing that we are these challenges because it
never alone. God is with us. builds a stronger Church and
God will prevail.” a deeper faith. It leads us to
organization has been speeches by Duterte where aggravated the threats Several members of a deeper relationship with
identified as a “terrorist he tagged the organizations against the life, liberty and the clergy who have been God,” he added.
front” in flyers handed out by as “communist fronts.” security of the petitioners,” outspoken about human He said it is time for church
suspected military personnel Lubi said 48 human rights it added. rights abuses in the people “to show how strong
in the southern Philippines. workers have been killed by Aside from the writs, Philippines say they have we are in faith and how
“This is a response to the government forces from 2001 petitioners also asked received death threats in strong the foundation of our
worsening attacks, terrorist to 2019 while several rights the court for a temporary recent months. Church is.”
tagging by the military and leaders and members have protection order for their Among them were Bishop Bishop Layog is the 30th
the ongoing smear campaign received death threats. members. Pablo Virgilio David of bishop appointed by Pope
against human rights “Petitioners who are The groups appealed to Kalookan, the diocese Francis in the Philippines
defenders,” said Elisa Lubi, legitimate organizations the Supreme Court to see where most drug-related since 2013.
chairwoman of rights group recognized both here and “the merit of our petition, killings have occurred, An estimated 2,000
Karapatan. abroad, including their the dangers of our work, and and Archbishop Socrates people attended his
“Human rights advocacy is officers and members, have eventually decide in favor of Villegas of Lingayen- ordination at the St. John
not a crime, yet human rights become open targets of human rights defenders.” Dagupan, a critic of the the Evangelist Cathedral
workers are being killed, human rights violations,” On May 3, the Supreme administration of President in Dagupan City. (Joe
threatened, harassed and jailed read the groups’ petition. Court granted a similar Rodrigo Duterte. Torres/UCAN)
on trumped-up charges.” It said the “glaringly petition by the National
The groups named Duterte, numerous incidents of Union of People’s Lawyers By the Roadside / A5
officials of the presidential threats, harassment and and ordered the Court of
palace and security officials as killings” are aimed at Appeals to hear on May rebukes his Maker; whoever News, not the promotion
respondents to the petition. curtailing their rights to freely 14 the group’s petition for rejoices in the ruin of another of particular persons with
They submitted to the exercise their advocacies. a protection order. (Joe will not go unpunished” (Prov particular political views. The
Supreme Court six public “The red tagging ... further Torres/UCAN) 17:5). homliy is the proclamation
5. Reports regarding of the Word to summon
clergymen campaigning all sinners to conversion,
“from the pulpit” and “using not to favor certain sinners
country, Bishop Ambo said “Ang sagot, quote I like most is from an American the pulpit” to advance the as more deserving of the
nasa atin din mga kamay sa darating na writer Louis L’Amour—“To make candidacies of opposition faithful’s votes. There other
halalan.” (The answer is in our hands this democracy work, we must be a nation bets to the senate have been avenues for that. Moreover,
coming election). of participants, not simply observers. heard and even aired on this approach, rather than
*** One who does not vote has no right to television, the radio and the persuade, turns the faithful
Some quotable quotes this election. complain.” social media in the name of off and even induces a reverse
John Kennedy - “The ignorance of By the way, for the record, Malacañang “keeping the senate as an action. The current election
one voter in a democracy impairs declared May 13, 2019 as a special non- independent institution”. It results are a case in point.
the security of all.” Og Mandino— working holiday to enable the people really does not take too much We in the Church
“Failure will never overtake me to properly exercise their right to vote. to sympathize with them and are, again, confronted
if my determination to succeed is *** many people do, this writer with realities that invite
strong enough.” Franklin Roosevelt— To my everdearest Inay, Gloria included. But the pulpit is soul-searching, but
“Democracy cannot succeed unless Angles Santiago, I wish you a Happy no place for partisan political never surrendering our
those who express their choice are Mothers’ Day in Heaven. More than campaigning, whatever the responsibility to her basic
prepared to choose wisely.” Also from ever, we terribly missed you and we love fruit of one’s discernment. evangelizing mission. There
Pres. Roosevelt—“The ultimate rulers you! Happy Mothers’ Day also to my Just as vote-buying violates are real dangers to the
of our democracy are not a President sisters Violeta Rosales and Flordeliza the sanctity of the ballot, Lord’s flock, one of which is
and senators and congressmen and Imperial, to my sisters-in-law Nisa, partisan campaigning using that of being more docile to
government officials, but the voters Baby and Jinky Santiago, and niece the pulpit equally tramples voices other than his.
of this country.” Robert Kennedy— Mary Gretchen Rosales-Castro who had underfoot the real purposes Let us just set and apply
“Elections remind us not only of just given birth to their second child of the homily, which is the ourselves on Him whose
the rights but the responsibilities of Catrione Gaelle which means Pure Joy, proclamation of the Good voice we are tasked to bring.
citizenship in a democracy.” The one a real pure joy to our family.
Candidly Speaking / A4
weaknesses, temptations to be.
were revealed after Pope to continue,” the pope said, said, is “the spiritual fact, the and sins. The beauty of the world
Francis spoke about the according to the English pastoral fact” that thousands With this love, we would depends on the love-driven
commission’s work. translation posted on the of pilgrims go to Medjugorje know how to handle the beauty of each one of us. We
Pope Francis acknowledged Vatican website. and are converted. “For this many differences that we can have to help one another in
that pilgrims to the Marian “Concerning the alleged there is no magic wand; this have among ourselves. These pursuing this goal of building
site deserve spiritual care current apparitions, the spiritual-pastoral fact cannot and even our unavoidable a beautiful world. Thus, we
and support, but he also report expresses doubts,” be denied.” disagreements and conflicts have to do a lot of apostolate,
expressed doubts about he said. Furthermore, The decision to allow would not compromise our mainly through friendship
claims that the apparitions “personally, I am more organized pilgrimages, charity towards others. We and confidence even as we
have continued for more than ‘mischievous.’ I prefer Our banned by the local bishops’ would be most understanding, take
35 years. Lady to be a mother, our in 1991 and confirmed by the compassionate and forgiving. advantage of the many
During his flight to Rome mother, and not a telegraph Vatican in 1996, recognizes In fact, we would try our best technologies now available
from Fatima, Portugal, in operator who sends out the need to provide spiritual to be helpful to others without that can facilitate our relation
May 2017, the pope told a message every day at a accompaniment and care expecting any reward. with others.
journalists that, regarding certain time—this is not the to the tens of thousands Yes, these are some ways Let’s be sowers of goodness
the Medjugorje commission’s mother of Jesus.” of Catholics who travel to we can build beauty in this and love, for this is how we
work, “three things need to be Pope Francis said his Medjugorje each year, Gisotti world as we should, because can truly build a beautiful
distinguished.” “personal opinion” is that said. It also is a recognition the world itself comes from world. In other words, we
“About the first apparitions, “these alleged apparitions of the “abundant fruits of God and thus also belongs to simply to have to become
when (the ‘seers’) were young, have no great value.” grace” those pilgrims have him. We have a tremendous genuine saints, because that
the report more or less says The “real core” of the experienced. (Cindy responsibility in bringing it is the only way we can such
that the investigation needs commission’s report, he Wooden/CNS) back to God as he wants it sowers.
A8 PEOPLE, FACTS, AND PLACES May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 CBCP Monitor

Pope names new Auxiliary bishop ordained

Malolos bishop
POPE Francis has appointed Cebu
Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo as
the new bishop of Malolos.
The appointment was announced
May 14 to the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines by
the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila.
At 52, he will be the fifth head
of the Malolos diocese, succeeding
Bishop Jose Oliveros who died at
the age of 71 in May 2018.
For a year that the diocese has been
without a bishop, it was managed by
Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao,
who was its concurrent apostolic
administrator.
A native of Cebu City, Villarojo
finished philosophy at San Carlos
College Seminary of Cebu and
theology at the University of Santo
Tomas in Manila.
He was ordained a priest on June
10, 1994.
After his ordination, he served as
the the personal secretary of the late
Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, who was
then the Cebu archbishop.
The bishop also studied at the
Pontifical University of the Holy
Cross in Rome from 1998 to 2001
where he obtained a doctorate in
Philosophy.
After his studies in Rome, he
returned to Cebu and continued
serving as Vidal’s secretary until
2010 when he eventually became a
parish priest.
In 2015, the Vatican appointed
him as General Secretary of the 51st
International Eucharistic Congress
held in Cebu in January 2016.
Few months later that year, he
was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Cebu, receiving the episcopal
Bishop Dennis Villarojo. SAMMY NAVAJA
consecration the following August
10.
Since April 2019, he’s been the
lone assistant bishop of Archbishop
Jose Palma after Bishop Oscar
Florencio was installed to
the Military Ordinariate of the
Philippines. (CBCP News)
for Pangasinan
Thousands gather for the episcopal ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Fidelis Layog of Lingayen-Dagupan
at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Dagupan City May 8. COURTESY OF SABINS STUDIO
PANGASINAN’S more than
a million Catholics have a new
auxiliary bishop, Fidelis Layog.
About 2,000 people attended
on May 8 the more than two-
hour liturgy where the new bishop
promised to be a “companion
shepherd”.
“Hence, I am a companion priest
brother, a companion among
families,” Layog said.
“As a bishop, I am chosen as a
broken servant made whole through
my trust in God’s mercy,” he said.
The ordination at the Cathedral
of St. John the Evangelist was led
by Archbishop Socrates Villegas of
Lingayen-Dagupan.
In his homily, the archbishop said
that with position comes power and
responsibilities.
But the reality, he emphasized, is
that “none of those powers can ever
be used for yourself”.
“The episcopacy is not meant
for enjoyment. Use your powers
only with love, for love,” Villegas
said.
“You will know the real character
of that man when you give him
great powers. How you will use that
power will show who you really are,”
he said.
Pope Francis on March 18
appointed Layog to assist
Archbishop Villegas with the ever-
growing number of Catholics in the
archdiocese.
A priest of the same archdiocese,
he was serving at the Our Lady of
Purification Parish in Binmaley,
Pangasinan upon his appointment.
Layog, 50, studied philosophy
at Mary Help of Christians College
Seminary and theology at the
Immaculate Conception School of
Theology in Vigan City.
After his priestly ordination in
1996, he spent the first four years of
his ministry as Prefect of Discipline
at the Mary Help of Christians High
School Seminary in Dagupan City.
In 2003, he also obtained a
degree in Biblical Theology from the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas
in Rome, Italy. (CBCP News)

New Intramuros museum features Catholic evangelization Chastity Project founder Jason
The Museo de Intramuros found on the former site of San Ignacio Church along Arsobizpado St. in the Walled City, features the history of Catholic evangelization in the country.
INTRAMUROS ADMINISTRATION
THE Intramuros
Administration (IA) on
May 2 opened to the public
the Museo de Intramuros
found on the former site of
San Ignacio Church along
Arsobizpado St. in the
Walled City, which features
the history of Catholic
evangelization in the country.
The IA is the government
cultural agency managing
the various cultural and
historical places and artifacts
within the heritage district
of Intramuros under the
Philippine Department of
Tourism
“This collection
of the Intramuros
Administration is
extremely valuable
because it represents the
first real attempt to collate
and preserve within the
Philippines an important
aspect of the country’s
cult u ral he ritag e ,” said
Dr. Esperanza Gatbonton
who curated the exhibit
together with Gino
Gonzales, Dr. Cecilia dela
Paz, Santiago Pilar, and
Martin Tinio.
One of the major pieces
of the collection is the La
Purisima Concepcion de
Evert to speak in Manila forum
Intramuros, the ivory image
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
which is the centerpiece
of the annual December
Intramuros Grand Marian
Procession.
Reinvented Church
structure
Officially refurbished and
opened by the IA, San Ignacio
Church was the mission house
of the Society of Jesus or the
Jesuits and was one of the
seven churches of Intramuros
during the Spanish era.
Among these churches only
the Manila Cathedral and
San Agustin Church remain.
According to IA Associate
Aide Johhan Joseph Ararao:
“The structure of the new
Museo de Intramuros has
the neo-classical style of the
Jesuit Casa Mision Convent
and San Ignacio Church is
no longer built [with] adobe
but [with] concrete due to the
need for easier materials.”
He said the Church artifacts
that have been collected and
curated through the years
by IA have now all been
transferred to the site. Ararao
also said: “The Casa Mision is
the first site of the exhibit. We
have an initial structure for
the church, but it is not yet
open to the public because
the exhibits in the church
replica have not yet been
organized.”
Philippine Church
history exhibited
IA’s new museum features
six (6) exhibits presenting the
story of the evangelization
of the Catholic faith in the
Philippines comprising:
• Immaculate Conception,
showing various wood-
carved images of the Principal
Patroness of the Philippines;
• Religious Orders,
displaying the images of
the saints of the first
religious orders that
came to the Philippines,
namely the Augustinians,
the Franciscans, the
Dominicans, the Jesuits and
the Augustinian Recollects;
• The Patronato Real, which
presents the different early
parishes and artworks from
the said parishes that were
forwarded to the Department
of Tourism;
• Religious Colonial
Paintings, collected from
ruins of old colonial churches
from Luzon to the Visayas;
• Exhibits of liturgical
items and vessels and
• The Indio Response,
showing urnas and relieves
which have been expressions
of Filipino artisans to the
Catholic evangelization
Future plans
Accordingly, the second
phase of the Museo de
Intramuros involves the
refurbishing of the interior
of San Ignacio Church replica
and the completion of its
belfries. Ararao pointed out:
“For the future, Museo
de Intramuros hopes to
present more museum
items, especially for the
preservation of cultural
heritage items which are in
need of rehabilitation.”
As the country celebrated
National Heritage Month
this May, the Museo de
Intramuros is open with
free admission. The
reconstruction of San Ignacio
Church and Convent is a
part of the Php900-million
Intramuros Rehabilitation
Program funded by the
Tourism Infrastructure
and Enterprise Zone
(TIEZA). (Kendrick Ivan
Panganiban/CBCP
News)
WORLD-RENOWNED
Catholic author, blogger
and speaker Jason Evert is
returning to the country for
“Love #NoFilter”, a conference
on chastity, love, and human
sexuality at the Philippine
International Convention
Center (PICC) Forum in Pasay
City on May 25.
Organized by Catalyst
for Character Formation
Association (Catalyst), the
conference will tackle issues
confronting the youth.
Mann Rentoy, former
Executive Director and now
Board Member of Catalyst,
said this is the fourth time that
they’re bringing Evert back to
Manila. “The need continues
to be there,” he said.
“Anyone as powerful as
Jason in addressing teens
must be made to speak to
the youth as often as possible
because of the obvious crisis
in chastity and purity among
the young (and not so young)
today,” Rentoy said.
Evert founded Totus Tuus
Press and Chastity Project, an
organization that promotes
chastity primarily to high
school and college students.
Evert has masters in
Theology from the Franciscan
University of Steubenville,
with undergraduate degrees
in theology and counselling,
with a minor in philosophy.
In 2013, he, along with
his wife and fellow speaker
Crystallina, spoke at “Real
Love Revolution”, a pro-life
conference in Manila and was
attended by around 8,000
students.
“In effect, this is our way
of addressing the crisis in
character, which is what my
organization is all about,”
Rentoy said.
The Episcopal Commission
on Youth (ECY) of the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP)
also endorsed the event.
In a statement, ECY
chairman Bishop Leopoldo
Jaucian of Bangued
encouraged the youth,
parents, educators and youth
ministers to “join, learn and
deepen their understanding
of what true love is through
this conference.”
He sees this as an opportune
moment especially since the
Church in the Philippines
is celebrating the Year of
the Youth, “to intensify
promoting more possibilities
of enriching our youth,
particularly on the theme of
love.”
Topics to be covered in
the conference include:
Understanding the real
meaning and beauty of
chastity; Helping young
people discern real, authentic,
and lasting love; Equipping
parents and educators
with stories, strategies to
effectively talk to teens about
sexuality; Equipping schools,
parishes, and organizations
to effectively form the youth
in the area of chastity and
relationships; Addressing
depression due to failed
relationships; and Finding
one’s soulmate without losing
one’s soul and more.
The event will feature three
conference sessions for three
core groups. The morning
session is for students, the
afternoon is for young adults
and the evening session is for
educators and parents.
A free special session for
school administrators, parish
workers, and community
leaders will also be held on
May 23, from 1.30 pm – 3.00
pm at St. Therese Parish Hall
across NAIA Terminal 3.
“In my experience giving
chastity talks around the
country, young people yearn
to know how to discover love
that lasts and this conference
may just be the starting point of
their journey in pursuing love
that is true and authentic-with
no filters,” said Bernz Ordoñez
Caasi, an educator, speaker,
and mentor from PAREF
Northfield School for Boys in
Quezon City, which leads the
promotion of the conference.
For inquiries and bulk
orders with free tickets,
email conferences@
parefnorthfield.edu.ph or by
calling 928 59 56 local 106.
CBCP Monitor
(The 56th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations was celebrated this year on May 12, 2019, the 4th Sunday of Easter, the Good Shepherd Sunday—Ed)
Pope Francis celebrates an ordination Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican May 12, 2019. The pope ordained 19 new priests. CNS/STEFANO SPAZIANI, POOL
The courage to take a risk for
God’s promise
DEAR Brothers and Sisters,
After the lively and fruitful
experience of the Synod devoted
to young people last October, we
recently celebrated the Thirty-
fourth World Youth Day in Panama
City.   These two great events
allowed the Church to be attentive
both to the voice of the Spirit and
to the life of young men and women,
their questions and concerns, their
problems and their hopes.
Building on what I shared with the
young people in Panama, I would
like to reflect, on this World Day of
Prayer for Vocations, on how the
Lord’s call makes us bearers of a
promise and, at the same time, asks
of us the courage to take a risk, with
him and for him.  I will do this by
reflecting briefly with you on these
two aspects – promise and risk—as
they appear in the Gospel account of
the calling of the first disciples by the
sea of Galilee (Mk 1:16-20).
Two pairs of brothers—Simon and
Andrew, and James and John—are
going about their daily tasks as
fishermen.  In this demanding
work, they had learned the laws
of nature, yet at times, when the
winds were adverse and waves shook
their boats, they had to defy the
elements.  On some days, the catch
of fish amply repaid their efforts, but
on others, an entire night’s work was
not sufficient to fill their nets, and
they had to return to shore weary
and disappointed.
Much of life is like that.  Each of
us tries to realize his or her deepest
desires; we engage in activities that
we hope will prove enriching, and we
put out on a “sea” of possibilities in
the hope of steering the right course,
one that will satisfy our thirst for
happiness.  Sometimes we enjoy
a good catch, while at others, we
need courage to keep our boat from
being tossed by the waves, or we are
frustrated at seeing our nets come
up empty.
As with every call, the Gospel
speaks of an encounter.  Jesus
walks by, sees those fishermen,
and walks up to them...  The same
thing happened when we met the
person we wanted to marry, or
May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 2019 World Day of Vocations
when we first felt the attraction
of a life of consecration: we were
surprised by an encounter, and
at that moment we glimpsed the
promise of a joy capable of bringing
fulfilment to our lives.   That day,
by the sea of Galilee, Jesus drew
near to those fishermen, breaking
through the “paralysis of routine”
(Homily for the XXII World Day
for Consecrated Life, 2 February
2018).  And he immediately made
them a promise: “I will make you
fishers of men” (Mk1:17).
The Lord’s call is not an intrusion
of God in our freedom; it is not a
“cage” or a burden to be borne.  On
the contrary, it is the loving initiative
whereby God encounters us and
invites us to be part of a great
undertaking.  He opens before our
eyes the horizon of a greater sea and
an abundant catch.
God in fact desires that our lives
not become banal and predictable,
imprisoned by daily routine, or
unresponsive before decisions that
could give it meaning.  The Lord
does not want us to live from day to
day, thinking that nothing is worth
fighting for, slowly losing our desire
to set out on new and exciting paths.  while giving a precise direction
If at times he makes us experience
a “miraculous catch”, it is because
he wants us to discover that each of
us is called—in a variety of ways—
to something grand, and that our
lives should not grow entangled in
the nets of an ennui that dulls the
heart.  Every vocation is a summons
not to stand on the shore, nets in
hand, but to follow Jesus on the path
he has marked out for us, for our
own happiness and for the good of
those around us.
Embracing this promise naturally
demands the courage to risk making
a decision.  The first disciples,
called by Jesus to be part of
something greater, “immediately
left their nets and followed him”
(Mk 1:18).  Responding to the Lord’s
call involves putting ourselves on the
line and facing a great challenge.  It
means being ready to leave behind
whatever would keep us tied to
our little boat and prevent us from
making a definitive choice.  We
are called to be bold and decisive
in seeking God’s plan for our
lives.  Gazing out at the vast “ocean”
of vocation, we cannot remain
content to repair our nets on the
boat that gives us security, but must
trust instead in the Lord’s promise.
I think primarily of the call to
the Christian life which all of us
received at Baptism.  It teaches us
that our life is not a fluke but rather
a gift: that of being God’s beloved
children, gathered in the great
family of the Church.  It is precisely
in the ecclesial community that the
Christian life is born and develops,
especially through the liturgy.  The
liturgy introduces us to God’s word
and the grace of the sacraments;
from an early age, we are taught the
art of prayer and fraternal sharing.  life, and evangelical Franciscan life.
In the end, the Church is our mother
because she brings us to new life
and leads us to Christ.  So we must
love her, even when we see her face
marred by human frailty and sin,
and we must help to make her ever
more beautiful and radiant, so that
she can bear witness to God’s love
in the world.
The Christian life thus finds
expression in those decisions that,
to our personal journey, also
contribute to the growth of God’s
kingdom in our world.  I think of
the decision to marry in Christ and
to form a family, as well as all those
other vocations associated with
work and professional life, with
the commitment to charity and
solidarity, with social and political
responsibilities, and so forth.  where it is easy to grow discouraged
These vocations make us bearers
of a promise of goodness, love and
justice, not only for ourselves but
also for our societies and cultures,
which need courageous Christians
and authentic witnesses of the
kingdom of God.
In encountering the Lord, some
may feel the attraction of a call to the
consecrated life or to the ordained
priesthood.  It is a discovery that can
excite and at the same time frighten
us, since we feel called to become
“fishers of men” in the barque of the
Church by giving totally of ourselves
in commitment to faithful service
of the Gospel and our brothers and
PASTORAL CONCERNS B1
Prayer for World Day of Prayer for Vocations
HOLY Spirit, stir within us the passion to promote vocations to the
consecrated life, societies of apostolic life, diocesan priesthood, and
permanent diaconate.
Inspire us daily to respond to Your call with boundless compassion,
abundant generosity, and radical availability.
Help us to remember our own baptismal call to rouse us to invite the
next generation to hear and respond to Your call.
Inspire parents, families, and lay ecclesial ministers to begin a
conversation with young Catholics to consider a how they will live
lives of holiness and sacred service.
Nudge inquirers and motivate discerners to learn more about
monastic life, apostolic life, missionaries, cloistered contemplative
Ignite our Church with the confident humility that there is an urgent
need for religious sisters, brothers, deacons, and priests to live in
solidarity with those who are poor, neglected, and marginalized.
Disrupt our comfortable lives and complacent attitudes with new ideas
to respond courageously and creativity with a daily ‘YES!’
Amen.
sisters.  Such a decision carries the Lord promises the joy of a new life
risk of leaving everything behind to that can fill our hearts and enliven
follow the Lord, to devote ourselves our journey.
completely to him, and to share in Dear friends, it is not always easy
his work.  Many kinds of interior to discern our vocation and to steer
resistance can stand in the way of our life in the right direction.  For
making this decision, especially in this reason, there needs to be a
highly secularized contexts where renewed commitment on the part
there no longer seems to be a place of the whole Church – priests,
for God and for the Gospel.  Places religious, pastoral workers and
educators – to provide young people
and fall into the “weariness of hope” in particular with opportunities for
(Homily at Mass with Priests, listening and discernment.  There
Consecrated Persons and Lay is a need for a youth ministry and a
Movements, Panama, 26 January vocational promotion that can open
2019). the way to discovering God’s plan,
And yet, there can be no greater joy above all through prayer, meditation
than to risk one’s life for the Lord!  I on God’s word, eucharistic adoration
would like to say this especially to and spiritual accompaniment.
you, the young.  Do not be deaf to the As was made clear several times
Lord’s call.  If he calls you to follow during the World Youth Day in
this path, do not pull your oars into Panama, we should always look to
the boat, but trust him.  Do not yield Mary.  Also in the story of this young
to fear, which paralyzes us before woman, vocation was both a promise
the great heights to which the Lord and a risk.  Her mission was not
points us.  Always remember that easy, yet she did not allow fear to
to those who leave their nets and prevail.  “It was the ‘yes’ of someone
boat behind, and follow him, the Courage / B7
B2 FEATURE
Sexual misconduct of some priests:
Cases for the declaration of nullity of sacred ordination
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
LAST 7 May 2019, Pope Francis
issued an Apostolic Letter, Motu
Proprio, entitled Vos estis lux
mundi (“You are the light of the
world”), containing very specific
Norms for the reception and
investigation of allegations of
sexual misconduct by clerics and
members of institutes of consecrated
life. To enter in force on 1 June 2019,
this Apostolic Letter caps a serious
study conducted by the Holy Father
with the help of the Episcopate from
all over the world, to address this
issue once and for all, at the face of
continuing revelations—veritable
public scandals—of such sexual
misconducts by clerics at all levels,
committed decades ago for the most
part.
Thankfully, the Church in
the Philippines has in general
been spared of such scandals.
Nevertheless, despite the lack of
notoriety, such cases do occur and
the Pastors are often at a loss on how
to proceed: to prosecute the erring
cleric (as a matter of penal justice)
or to try to rehabilitate him in the
ministry (with the attendant risk of
provoking a possible scandal in the
future, should the victims come out
openly)?
The question bears a closer look,
as it opens both theologico-pastoral
and canonical issues.
A Radical Solution: Declaration
of Nullity of Ordination
As we saw in Part I of this article,
if the root of the problem is the
ordination of men who were not
qualified for the priesthood, then the
radical solution would be to “undo”
that wrong move. Certainly, a valid
ordination cannot be invalidated:
once a priest, always a priest. Even
more than the irrevocable nature of
a valid matrimonial consent, a valid
ordination imprints an indelible
character that makes the ordained
a priest forever. But what if the
ordination was invalid?
More than once, confronted with
these problems of sexual misconduct
by clerics, I have heard people say—
bishops and priests included—that
perhaps the erring cleric should
never have been ordained. And that
is the point: if they should never
have been ordained, might it not
be juridically proven that they were
not validly ordained? That is the
process for the declaration of nullity
of sacred ordination, regulated in
cc.1708-1712 of the Code of Canon
Law. It is something similar to the
declaration of nullity of marriage:
it is not a breaking of the bond
(tantamount to divorce), which goes
against the indissolubility of the
marriage covenant. Rather, it is a
declaration—after judicial process—
that the ordination never validly
took place; therefore, the cleric is
not such after all.
There is a Spanish proverb that
says: muerto el perro, se acabó la
rabia. “With the dog dead, there goes
the rabies.” In effect, by declaring
the nullity of ordination of the
erring cleric, the following ends are
accomplished:
1st He is taken out of circulation
from the sacred ministry, thereby
removing any possible harm that he
can further inflict by being there. In
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query:)
Q: In an emergency, can a ciborium
be used as a chalice? I understand
that the chalice is used for the
Precious Blood and the ciborium
for consecrated hosts, but given
their similar design (excepting that
the ciborium has a lid), could one be
used for the purpose of the other in
the event that a chalice or ciborium
be broken or damaged, affecting its
use? — M.P., Emporia, Kansas
A: This is the kind of question in
which common sense rather than
liturgical norms come into play
— basically because liturgical law
does not attempt to foresee every
eventuality.
We are clearly not before a grave
emergency such as a clandestine
Mass for persecuted Catholics
in a prison camp in which all
liturgical norms cannot be applied.
We are rather in a kind of last-
Pope Francis prays in front of a candle in memory of victims of sexual abuse as he visits St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin Aug. 25, 2018. Pope Francis has revised and clarified norms and procedures for holding
bishops and religious superiors accountable in protecting minors as well as in protecting members of religious orders and seminarians from abuse. PAUL HARING/CNS
a certain way, this could even bring
a better closure for the victims,
who—if they had been dealt with
pastorally—would normally not be
vindictive, but rather just concerned
for the common good.
2nd This clears the way for the
rehabilitation of the erring person,
who could now address his issues
without the burden of the priesthood.
3rd All these, without the character
of being a punishment for the erring
person, which would be the case if
a penal process were initiated and a
sanction meted on him. In short, the
juridic pretension of taking him out
of the clerical state is accomplished,
without it being a sanction.
Theologico-canonical doctrine
The theological principle
underlying this process is that a
valid sacred ordination can never
be annulled, since it marks a
person with an indelible character.
However, the validity of sacred
ordination can be impugned on the
following grounds: (1) the subject
was not a validly baptized male
(cf. cc.849, 1024); (2) the minister
was not a consecrated bishop (cf.
c.1012); (3) there was a substantial
defect of rite (cf. c.1009, §2); (4)
there was a defect of intention on
the part of the ordaining minister;
(5) there was a defect of intention
on the part of the subject.
On the other hand, factors that
concern only the licit reception of
sacred ordination (cf. cc.1025 sq)—
e.g., the existence of an irregularity
or impediment or a serious
unsuitability on the part of the
Using a ciborium as a chalice
minute emergency when somebody
damages the chalice before Mass
and it cannot be replaced in a
reasonable time.
In such cases, I would say that
it is permissible to use a chalice-
like ciborium in lieu of the chalice
proper. Both vessels would probably
have been properly blessed to
contain the sacred species, and so
the ciborium could legitimately be
used to contain the Precious Blood.
Indeed it is even possible to
confuse them. Not so long ago
I celebrated Mass in a South
American country. While purifying
the “chalice” I noticed a small rise
or bump at the bottom of the cup
that caused me some doubt. The
inside curvature of a chalice’s cup
is usually smooth whereas ciboria
often have a small rise or bump at
the bottom that apparently makes
it easier to distribute communion
(Part II)
candidate—do not affect the validity
of the ordination, but may affect the
validity of the obligations arising
from such ordination, thereby giving
ground for the subject’s eventual
petition for dispensation from such
obligations.
For the scenario under
consideration—i.e., sexual
misconduct of clerics for reasons
of gender confusion or unresolved
chastity issues—factors 1-3 above
are irrelevant. It is the 4th and the
5th factors that bear closer scrutiny.
Defect of intention on the part
of the ordinand
The causes presented to the
Holy See have normally involved
an alleged defect of intention on
the part of the subject. Now the
canonical and theological doctrine
concerning the intention required
for the valid reception of ordination
seems to point at a parallel in the
doctrine concerning the intention
sufficient for the valid reception
of baptism—i.e., a person who has
reached the use of reason must
have at least the habitual intention
to receive the sacrament. If there is
no such intention, the ordination is
not validly received.
If the subject simulates the
intention to receive ordination itself,
the sacrament is not validly received,
but if he has the intention to receive
ordination while simulating his
intention to assume the obligation of
celibacy arising from the ordination
(cf. c.1037), the ordination is still
valid, and the obligation of celibacy
is still considered binding, if not by
by impeding that the hosts lie
perfectly flat. Whatever the cause,
I mentioned my doubt to the priest
in charge, and a quick exchange of
the lid on the “ciborium” in the
tabernacle quickly revealed that
my intuition was correct and
that somebody had inadvertently
switched the two sacred vessels.
Since common sense is the
general rule, it means that there
is no general principle in play. It
is obvious that a low ciborium,
or one from which it would be
difficult to drink without spillage,
should not be used even in an
emergency.
The rules for making chalices
used to be relatively strict, even
though various forms were allowed.
For example, it was required that
the base be wider and heavier than
the cup and that the chalice stem’s
central knob be manageable, hence
May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10
the force of the promise, at least by
force of the law of the Church.
But what if the simulation
is about an essential quality of
a sacred minister itself? This
would be the case of the ordinand
who is aware of a serious lack of
aptness—e.g., same sex attraction
(SSA) or a homosexual orientation,
unresolved issues of chastity (like
addiction to pornography, self-
abuse or even addiction to sex), or
even paedophilia—but nevertheless
fraudulently hides such fact from
his formators or from the bishop or
superior. In this case, the invalidity
would not arise from the serious
lack of aptness itself (which as we
had seen would cause illicitude but
not invalidty), but rather from the
lack of a valid will for ordination,
since what is being willed is a sacred
ministry falsely understood as
compatible with such vices.
Defect of intention on the part
of the ordaining minister
The object of the intention of the
ordaining minister is obviously the
ordination of the suitable ordinand.
Thus, if the ordinand is in fact
unsuitable, one can speak of a
defect of intention on the part of
the ordaining minister due to an
erroneous object. Furthermore,
if such an error were brought
about by fraud—i.e., the deliberate
concealment by the ordinand of
such a serious unsuitability, for the
purpose of illiciting the intention of
the ordaining minister—one could
really argue for the invalidity of the
ordination.
not be overly ornate.
Excessive height was to be
avoided so as not to impede
making the signs of the cross over
the chalice, and the border of the
cup that is touched by the priest’s
lip had to be smooth. Most of
these norms take into account
the rubrics of the extraordinary
form in which the priest makes
many signs of the cross over the
chalice, and above all is required
to keep thumb and index finger
together from the consecration
until the purification including
while holding the chalice.
The fact that this gesture no
longer exists in the ordinary form,
as well as the introduction of
concelebration, has led to many
innovations in chalice design with
generally larger cups, smaller bases
and sometimes no chalice stem as
such because the priest can easily
CBCP Monitor
This is something similar to
the case of fraud—regarding a
quality which by itself could render
marital life difficult—invalidating
matrimonial consent. In the case
of sacred ordination, the ordaining
bishop obviously has the common
good of the Church in mind in
intending to promote the ordinand
to sacred orders (to be at the
service of such Church). Hence, the
deliberate concealment of a quality
that would render the candidate
seriously unsuitable for the sacred
ministry, should vitiate the intention
to a point that it is invalid, and
therefore rendering the ensuing
sacred ordination invalid.
Who can impugn the validity of
sacred ordination?
Can.1708: The right to impugn
the validity of sacred ordination
is held by the cleric himself, or by
the Ordinary to whom the cleric
is subject, or by the Ordinary in
whose diocese he was ordained.
This is because it is a question of
the cleric’s own status as a person in
the Church (cf. c.1501), which he is
entitled to choose freely (cf. cc.219
and 1026). On the other hand, the
Ordinary would ordinarily raise
such a petition because he suspects
the invalidity of the ordination
and does not want to re-ordain the
subject, for reasons of the common
good.
Can.1709:
§1: The petition must be sent
to the competent Congregation,
which will decide whether the
Misconduct / B7
hold it up with both hands-free.
The common preference for
administrating Communion using
hosts consecrated in the same Mass,
rather than from the tabernacle,
has led to wider use of smaller
tabernacles and this has also led
to a reduction in the size of the
ciborium which in many cases no
longer bears any resemblance to
a chalice.
The above are examples of how
some aspects of the liturgy, in this
case, the design of chalices and
ciboria, are not permanently fixed
but practically adapt to conform to
current liturgical practice and law.
Only rarely do they transgress the
law. For example, in some Roman
stores, one still sees for sale fragile
ceramic chalices or chalices with a
pouring spout even though pouring
the Sacred Species is explicitly
forbidden in liturgical law.
CBCP Monitor
“YOU are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden” (Mt 5:14). Our Lord Jesus
Christ calls every believer to be a
shining example of virtue, integrity
and holiness. All of us, in fact, are
called to give concrete witness of
faith in Christ in our lives and, in
particular, in our relationship with
others.
The crimes of sexual abuse
offend Our Lord, cause physical,
psychological and spiritual
damage to the victims and harm
the community of the faithful.
In order that  these phenomena,
in all their forms, never happen
again, a continuous and profound
conversion of hearts is needed,
attested by concrete and effective
actions that involve everyone
in the Church, so that personal
sanctity and moral commitment
can contribute to promoting the full
credibility of the Gospel message
and the effectiveness of the Church’s
mission. This becomes possible only
with the grace of the Holy Spirit
poured into our hearts, as we must
A prelate reverences the crucifix during a penitential liturgy held as part of the meeting on the protection of minors in the church at the Vatican Feb. 23, 2019. The summit brought together the pope and 190 church leaders -- presidents of bishops’ conferences,
the heads of the Eastern Catholic churches, superiors of men’s and women’s religious orders and Roman Curia officials. CNS/VATICAN MEDIA
always keep in mind the words of
Jesus: “Apart from me you can do
nothing” (Jn 15:5). Even if so much
has already been accomplished, we
must continue to learn from the
bitter lessons of the past, looking
with hope towards the future.
This responsibility falls, above all,
on the successors of the Apostles,
chosen by God to be pastoral leaders
of his People, and demands from
them a commitment to follow closely
the path of the Divine Master.
Because of their ministry, in fact,
Bishops, “as vicars and legates
of Christ, govern the particular
churches entrusted to them by their
counsel, exhortations, example,
and even by their authority and
sacred power, which indeed they
use only for the edification of
their flock in truth and holiness,
remembering that he who is greater
should become as the lesser and
he who is the chief become as the
servant” (Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution Lumen
Gentium, 27). What more closely
concerns the successors of the
Apostles concerns all those who, in
various ways, assume ministries in
the Church, or profess the evangelical
counsels, or are called to serve the
Christian People. Therefore, it is
good that procedures be universally
adopted to prevent and combat
these crimes that betray the trust of
May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10
“Voc estis lux mundi”
Apostolic Letter issued Motu Proprio by the Supreme Pontiff Francis
the faithful.
I desire that this commitment
be implemented in a fully ecclesial
manner, so that it may express the
communion that keeps us united,
in mutual listening and open to
the contributions of those who
care deeply about this process of
conversion.
Therefore, I decree:
TITLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Art. 1 – Scope of application
§1. These norms apply to reports
regarding clerics or members of
Institutes of Consecrated Life or
Societies of Apostolic Life and
concerning:
a) delicts against the sixth
commandment of the Decalogue
consisting of:
i.        forcing someone, by violence
or threat or through abuse of
authority, to perform or submit to
sexual acts;
ii.       performing sexual acts with
a minor or a vulnerable person;
iii.      the production, exhibition,
possession or distribution, including
by electronic means, of child
pornography, as well as by the
recruitment of or inducement of
a minor or a vulnerable person
to participate in pornographic
exhibitions;
b) conduct carried out by the
subjects referred to in article 6,
consisting of actions or omissions
intended to interfere with
or avoid civil investigations or
canonical investigations, whether
administrative or penal, against a
cleric or a religious regarding the
delicts referred to in letter a) of this
paragraph.
§2. For the purposes of these
norms,
a) “minor” means: any person
under the age of eighteen, or who
is considered by law to be the
equivalent of a minor;
b) “vulnerable person” means:
any person in a state of infirmity,
physical or mental deficiency, or
deprivation of personal liberty
which, in fact, even occasionally,
limits their ability to understand
or to want or otherwise resist the
offence;
c) “child pornography” means:
any representation of a minor,
regardless of the means used,
involved in explicit sexual activities,
whether real or simulated, and any
representation of sexual organs
of minors for primarily sexual
purposes.
Art. 2 – Reception of reports
and data protection
§1. Taking into account the
provisions that may be adopted by the
respective Episcopal Conferences,
by the Synods of the Bishops of
the Patriarchal Churches and the
Major Archiepiscopal Churches, or
by the Councils of Hierarchs of the
Metropolitan Churches sui iuris,
the Dioceses or the Eparchies,
individually or together, must
establish within a year from the
entry into force of these norms, one
or more public, stable and easily
accessible systems for submission of
reports, even through the institution
of a specific ecclesiastical office.  The
Dioceses and the Eparchies shall
inform the Pontifical Representative
of the establishment of the systems
referred to in this paragraph.
§2. The information referred to in
this article is protected and treated
in such a way as to guarantee its
safety, integrity and confidentiality
pursuant to canons 471, 2° CIC and
244 §2, 2° CCEO.
§3. Except as provided for by
article 3 §3, the Ordinary who
received the report shall transmit
it without delay to the Ordinary of
the place where the events are said
to have occurred, as well as to the
Ordinary of the person reported,
who proceed according to the law
provided for the specific case.
§4. For the purposes of this title,
Eparchies are equated with Dioceses
and the Hierarch is equated with the
Ordinary.
Art. 3 – Reporting
§1. Except as provided for by
canons 1548 §2 CIC and 1229 §2
CCEO, whenever a cleric or a member
of an Institute of Consecrated Life or
of a Society of Apostolic Life has
notice of, or well-founded motives
to believe that, one of the facts
referred to in article 1 has been
committed, that person is obliged
to report promptly the fact to the
local Ordinary where the events are
said to have occurred or to another
Ordinary among those referred to
in canons 134 CIC and 984 CCEO,
except for what is established by §3
of the present article.
§2. Any person can submit a
report concerning the conduct
referred to in article 1, using the
methods referred to in the preceding
article, or by any other appropriate
means.
§3. When the report concerns one
of the persons indicated in article 6,
it is to be addressed to the Authority
identified based upon articles 8 and
9. The report can always be sent to
the Holy See directly or through the
Pontifical Representative.
§4. The report shall include as
many particulars as possible, such
as indications of time and place of
the facts, of the persons involved
or informed, as well as any other
circumstance that may be useful
in order to ensure an accurate
assessment of the facts.
§5. Information can also be
acquired ex officio.
Art. 4 – Protection of the
person submitting the report
§1. Making a report pursuant
to article 3 shall not constitute a
violation of office confidentiality.
§2. Except as provided for by
canons 1390 CIC and 1452 and
1454 CCEO, prejudice, retaliation
or discrimination as a consequence
of having submitted a report is
prohibited and may constitute the
conduct referred to in article 1 §1,
letter b).
§3. An obligation to keep silent
may not be imposed on any person
with regard to the contents of his or
her report.
Art. 5 – Care for persons
§1. The ecclesiastical Authorities
shall commit themselves to ensuring
that those who state that they
have been harmed, together with
their families, are to be treated
with dignity and respect, and, in
particular, are to be:
a) welcomed, listened to and
supported, including through
provision of specific services;
b) offered spiritual assistance;
c) offered medical assistance,
including therapeutic and
psychological assistance, as required
by the specific case.
§2. The good name and the privacy
of the persons involved, as well as
the confidentiality of their personal
data, shall be protected.
TITLE II
PROVISIONS CONCERNING
BISHOPS AND THEIR
EQUIVALENTS
Art. 6 – Subjective scope of
FEATURE B3
application
The procedural norms referred
to in this title concern the conduct
referred to in article 1, carried out
by:
a) Cardinals, Patriarchs, Bishops
and Legates of the Roman Pontiff;
b) clerics who are, or who have
been, the pastoral heads of a
particular Church or of an entity
assimilated to it, Latin or Oriental,
including the Personal Ordinariates,
for the acts committed durante
munere;
c) clerics who are or who have
been in the past leaders of a
Personal Prelature, for the acts
committed durante munere;
d) those who are, or who have
been, supreme moderators of
Institutes of Consecrated Life
or of Societies of Apostolic Life
of Pontifical right, as well as of
monasteries sui iuris, with respect
to the acts committed durante
munere.
Art. 7 – Competent Dicastery
§1. For the purposes of this title,
“competent Dicastery” means the
Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, regarding the delicts
reserved to it by the norms in force,
as well as, in all other cases and as
far as their respective jurisdiction is
concerned, based on the proper law
of the Roman Curia:
- the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches;
- the Congregation for Bishops;
- the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples;
- the Congregation for the Clergy;
- the Congregation for Institutes
of Consecrated Life and Societies
of Apostolic
Life.
§2. In order to ensure the best
coordination, the competent
Dicastery informs the Secretariat
of State, and the other Dicasteries
directly concerned, of the report and
the outcome of the investigation.
§3. The communications
referred to in this title between
the Metropolitan and the Holy See
take place through the Pontifical
Representative.
Art. 8 – Procedure applicable
in the event of a report
concerning a Bishop of the
Latin Church
§1. The Authority that receives a
Voc / B4
B4 FEATURE
Voc / B3
Clerical sex abuse survivors and their supporters rally outside Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome Feb. 21, 2019. PAUL HARING/CNS
report transmits it both to the Holy
See and to the Metropolitan of the
Ecclesiastical Province where the
person reported is domiciled.
§2. If the report concerns the
Metropolitan, or the Metropolitan
See is vacant, it shall be forwarded to
the Holy See, as well as to the senior
suffragan Bishop by promotion,
to whom, if such is the case, the
following provisions regarding the
Metropolitan apply.
§3. In the event that the report
concerns a Papal Legate, it shall
be transmitted directly to the
Secretariat of State.
Art. 9 – Procedure applicable
to Bishops of Eastern Catholic
Churches
§1. Reports concerning a
Bishop of a Patriarchal, Major
Archiepiscopal or Metropolitan
Church sui iuris shall be forwarded
to the respective Patriarch, Major
Archbishop or Metropolitan of the
Church sui iuris.
§2. If the report concerns a
Metropolitan of a Patriarchal or
Major Archiepiscopal Church,
who exercises his office within
the territory of these Churches,
it is forwarded to the respective
Patriarch or Major Archbishop.
§3. In the preceding cases, the
Authority who receives the report
shall also forward it to the Holy See.
§4. If the person reported is a
Bishop or a Metropolitan outside
the territory of the Patriarchal,
the Major Archiepiscopal or the
Metropolitan Church sui iuris, the
report shall be forwarded to the
Holy See.
§5. In the event that the report
concerns a Patriarch, a Major
Archbishop, a Metropolitan of a
Church sui iuris or a Bishop of the
other Eastern Catholic Churches sui
iuris, it shall be forwarded to the
Holy See.
§ 6. The following provisions
relating to the Metropolitan apply to
the ecclesiastical Authority to which
the report is to be forwarded based
on this article.
Art. 10 – Initial duties of the
Metropolitan
§1. Unless the report is manifestly
unfounded, the Metropolitan
immediately requests, from the
competent Dicastery, that he
be assigned to commence the
investigation. If the Metropolitan
considers the report manifestly
unfounded, he shall so inform the
Pontifical Representative.
§2. The Dicastery shall proceed
without delay, and in any case
within thirty days from the receipt
of the first report by the Pontifical
Representative or the request for
the assignment by the Metropolitan,
providing the appropriate
instructions on how to proceed in
the specific case.
Art. 11 – Entrusting the
investigation to a person other
than the Metropolitan
§1. If the competent Dicastery
considers it appropriate to entrust
the investigation to a person
other than the Metropolitan, the
Metropolitan is so informed. The
Metropolitan delivers all relevant
information and documents to the
person appointed by the Dicastery.
§2. In the case referred to in
the previous paragraph, the
following provisions relating to
the Metropolitan apply to the
person charged with conducting
the investigation.
Art. 12 – Carrying out the
investigation
§1. Once he has been appointed by
the competent Dicastery and acting
in compliance with the instructions
received, the Metropolitan, either
personally or through one or more
suitable persons:
a) collects relevant information
regarding the facts;
b) accesses the information
and documents necessary for the
purpose of the investigation kept in
the archives of ecclesiastical offices;
c) obtains the cooperation of other
Ordinaries or Hierarchs whenever
necessary;
d) requests information from
individuals and institutions,
including civil institutions, that are
able to provide useful elements for
the investigation.
§2. If it is necessary to hear from
a minor or a vulnerable person,
the Metropolitan shall adopt
appropriate procedures, which take
into account their status.
§3. In the event that there are
well-founded motives to conclude
that information or documents
concerning the investigation are at
risk of being removed or destroyed,
the Metropolitan shall take the
necessary measures for their
preservation.
§4. Even when making use of
other persons, the Metropolitan
nevertheless remains responsible
for the direction and conduct of
the investigation, as well as for the
timely execution of the instructions
referred to in article 10 §2.
§5. The Metropolitan shall be
assisted by a notary freely appointed
pursuant to canons 483 §2 CIC and
253 §2 CCEO.
§6. The Metropolitan is required to
act impartially and free of conflicts of
interest. If he considers himself to be
in a conflict of interest or is unable to
maintain the necessary impartiality
to guarantee the integrity of the
investigation, he is obliged to recuse
himself and report the circumstance
to the competent Dicastery.
§7. The person under investigation
enjoys the presumption of innocence.
§ 8. The Metropolitan, if requested
by the competent Dicastery, informs
the person of the investigation
concerning him/her, hears his/her
account of the facts and invites him/
her to present a brief in defence. In
such cases, the investigated person
may be assisted by legal counsel.
§9. Every thirty days, the
Metropolitan sends a status report
on the state of the investigation to
the competent Dicastery.
Art. 13 – Involvement of
qualified persons
§1. In accordance with any
eventual directives of the Episcopal
Conference, of the Synod of Bishops
or of the Council of Hierarchs
regarding how to assist the
Metropolitan in conducting the
investigation, the Bishops of the
respective Province, individually
or together, may establish lists
of qualified persons from which
the Metropolitan may choose
those most suitable to assist in
the investigation, according to the
needs of the individual case and, in
particular, taking into account the
May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10
cooperation that can be offered by
the lay faithful pursuant to canons
228 CIC and 408 CCEO.
§2. The Metropolitan, however, is
free to choose other equally qualified
persons.
§3. Any person assisting the
Metropolitan in the investigation
is required to act impartially and
must be free of conflicts of interest.
If he considers himself to be in a
conflict of interest or be unable to
maintain the necessary impartiality
required to guarantee the integrity
of the investigation, he is obliged
to recuse himself and report the
circumstances to the Metropolitan.
§4. The persons assisting the
Metropolitan shall take an oath to
fulfil their charge properly.
Art. 14 – Duration of the
investigation
§1. The investigation is to be
completed within the term of ninety
days or within a term otherwise
provided for by the instructions
referred to in article 10 §2.
§2. Where there are just reasons,
the Metropolitan may request that
the competent Dicastery extend the
term.
Art. 15 - Precautionary
measures
Should the facts or circumstances
require it, the Metropolitan shall
propose to the competent Dicastery
the adoption of provisions or
appropriate precautionary measures
with regard to the person under
investigation.
Art. 16 – Establishment of a
fund
§1. Ecclesiastical Provinces,
Episcopal Conferences, Synods of
Bishops and Councils of Hierarchs
may create a fund, to be established
according to the norms of canons
116 and 1303 §1, 1° CIC and 1047
CCEO and administered according
to the norms of canon law, whose
purpose is to sustain the costs of the
investigations.
§2. At the request of the appointed
Metropolitan, the funds necessary
for the purpose of the investigation
are made available to him by
the administrator of the fund;
the Metropolitan remain duty-
CBCP Monitor
bound to present an account to the
administrator at the conclusion of
the investigation.
Art. 17 – Transmission of the
documents and the votum
§1. Having completed the
investigation, the Metropolitan
shall transmit the acts to the
competent Dicastery, together with
his  votum  regarding the results of
the investigation and in response
to any queries contained in the
instructions issued under article
10 §2.
§2. Unless there are further
instructions from the competent
Dicastery, the faculties of the
Metropolitan cease once the
investigation is completed.
§3. In compliance with the
instructions of the competent
Dicastery, the Metropolitan, upon
request, shall inform the person who
has alleged an offence, or his/her
legal representatives, of the outcome
of the investigation.
Art. 18 – Subsequent
measures
Unless it decides to provide for
a supplementary investigation, the
competent Dicastery proceeds in
accordance with the law provided
for the specific case.
Art. 19 – Compliance with
state laws
These norms apply without
prejudice to the rights and
obligations established in each
place by state laws, particularly
those concerning any reporting
obligations to the competent civil
authorities.
The present norms are
approved  ad experimentum for
three years.
I establish that the present
Apostolic Letter in the form of Motu
Proprio be promulgated by means
of publication in the Osservatore
Romano, entering into force on 1
June 2019, and then published in
the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.
Given in Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on
7 May 2019, the seventh year of my
Pontificate.
 
FRANCIS
CBCP Monitor May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10 FEATURE B5

Letter sent by the Holy Father for

the Event “Economy of Francesco”
TO Young Economists and
Entrepreneurs Worldwide
Dear Friends,
I am writing to invite you to take
part in an initiative very close to my
heart.  An event that will allow me
to encounter young men and women
studying economics and interested
in a different kind of economy: one
that brings life not death, one that is
inclusive and not exclusive, humane
and not dehumanizing, one that
cares for the environment and does
not despoil it.  An event that will
help bring us together and allow us
to meet one another and eventually
enter into a “covenant” to change
today’s economy and to give a soul
to the economy of tomorrow.
Surely there is a need to “re-
animate” the economy!  And where
better to do so than Assisi, which has
for centuries eloquently symbolized
a humanism of fraternity? Saint
John Paul II chose Assisi as the icon
of a culture of peace. For me, it is
also a fitting place to inspire a new
economy. There Francis stripped
himself of all worldliness in order
to choose God as the compass of
his life, becoming poor with the
poor, a brother to all. His decision
to embrace poverty also gave rise to
a vision of economics that remains
most timely. A vision that can give
hope to our future and benefit not
only the poorest of the poor, but
our entire human family. A vision
that is also necessary for the fate
of the entire planet, our common
home, “our sister Mother Earth”,
in the words of Saint Francis in
his Canticle of the Sun.
In my Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’,
I emphasized that, today more than
ever, everything is deeply connected
and that the safeguarding of the
environment cannot be divorced
from ensuring justice for the poor
and finding answers to the structural
problems of the global economy. We
need to correct models of growth
incapable of guaranteeing respect
for the environment, openness to
life, concern for the family, social
equality, the dignity of workers and
the rights of future generations.
Sadly, few have heard the appeal
to acknowledge the gravity of the
problems and, even more, to set in
(The event will be held on March 26-28, 2020)
place a new economic model, the
fruit of a culture of communion
based on fraternity and equality.
Francis of Assisi is the outstanding
example of care for the vulnerable
and of an integral ecology. I think
of the words spoken to him from the
Crucifix in the little church of San
Damiano: “Go, Francis, repair my
house, which, as you see, is falling
into ruin”. The repair of that house
concerns all of us. It concerns the
Church, society and the heart of each
individual. Increasingly, it concerns
the environment, which urgently
demands a sound economy and a
sustainable development that can
heal its wounds and assure us of a
worthy future.
Given this urgent need, each one
of us is called to rethink his or her
mental and moral priorities, to
bring them into greater conformity
with God’s commandments and the
demands of the common good. But
I thought especially of inviting you
young people, because your desire
for a better and happier future
makes you even now a prophetic
sign, pointing towards an economy
attentive to the person and to the
environment.
Dear young people, I know that
you can hear in your hearts the ever
more anguished plea of the earth
and its poor, who cry out for help
and for responsibility, for people
who will respond and not turn The Basilica of St. Francis is seen in Assisi, Italy, Sept. 6, 2011. Pope Francis has invited young economists and entrepreneurs to take part in an initiative to be
away. If you listen to what your launched in Assisi March 26-28, 2020. The initiative seeks to find new ways to do business, promote human dignity and protect the environment. PAUL HARING/CNS
heart tells you, you will feel part
of a new and courageous culture, to those who have none and for the dream of a new humanism young people, who are capable of
you will not be afraid to face risks proposing new styles of life. Only responsive to the expectations of dreaming and who are prepared to
and work to build a new society. when our economic and social men and women and to the plan build, with the help of God, a more
The risen Jesus is our strength! system no longer produces even a of God. just and beautiful world.
As I told you in Panama and I single victim, a single person cast The name of this event—Economy Our meeting is planned for 26 to
wrote in my Post-Synodal Apostolic aside, will we be able to celebrate the of Francesco—clearly evokes the 28 March 2020. Together with the
Exhortation Christus Vivit: “Please, feast of universal fraternity. Holy Man of Assisi and the Gospel Bishop of Assisi, whose predecessor
do not leave it to others to be That is why I would like to that he lived in complete consistency, Guido, eight centuries ago, received
protagonists of change. You are the meet you in Assisi: so that we also on the social and economic the young Francis in his house when
ones who hold the future! Through can promote together, through level. Saint Francis offers us an ideal he made the prophetic gesture of his
you, the future enters into the world. a common “covenant”, a process and, in some sense, a programme. stripping, I count on receiving you
I ask you also to be protagonists of of global change. One in which For me, who took his name, he is a myself. I await you and even now, I
this transformation… I ask you to not only believers but all men constant source of inspiration. greet you and I give you my blessing.
build the future, to work for a better and women of good will, beyond With you, and through you, I Please, do not forget to pray for me.
world” (No. 174). differences of creed and nationality, will appeal to some of our best
Your universities, your businesses can participate, inspired by an ideal economists and entrepreneurs
and your organizations are of fraternity attentive above all to who are already working on the From the Vatican, 1 May 2019
workshops of hope for creating new the poor and excluded. I invite each global level to create an economy Memorial of Saint Joseph the
ways of understanding the economy of you to work for this covenant, consistent with these ideals. I am Worker
and progress, for combating the committing yourselves individually confident that they will respond.  
culture of waste, for giving voice and in groups to cultivate together And I am confident above all in you FRANCIS

UN Forum on Forest
(Statement by H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, during Fourteenth Session of
the United Nations Forum on Forests; New York, 6 May 2019)
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican’s permanent observer
to the United Nations. GREGORY A. SHEMITZ/CNS
MR. Chair,
The Holy See is pleased to participate
in this Fourteenth Session of the United
Nations Forum on Forests to address the
implementation of the UN Strategic Plan
for Forests 2017-2030. Per the Forum’s
Quadrennial Programme of Work, this Session
will be devoted to technical discussion. My
Delegation is hopeful that the practical issues
deliberated in the next several days will lead
to concrete steps translating the goals of forest
protection into reality.
Mr. Chair,
It is becoming increasingly clear that forests
need attention and protection — both
in themselves and because of the many
contributions they make to the rest of the
human and natural environments. Indeed,
there is still so much unknown and yet to be
learned about the forests of the earth! Yet the
rapid destruction of forests in our times is
depleting their biodiversity so quickly that the
full extent of our loss might never be known.
The species that call the forests home also risk
extinction. As Pope Francis noted last year,
“The loss of jungles and forests means not
only the loss of species, which could also be
extremely important resources for the future,
but also the loss of vital relationships that
could end up altering the entire ecosystem.”
As the majority of the world’s population [1]
now lives in urban areas, it is increasingly
easy to overlook the vital, irreplaceable role
played by forests. It is our hope that the work
of this Forum will again refocus our attention
on the crucial need for sustainable forest
management.
At the same time, great human suffering
arises from wanton destruction of the
forests. Many depend on the forests for their
dwelling, livelihood, cultural heritage, and
social structure. The loss of forests can fall
disproportionately on such people. Yet, in a
cruel paradox, great poverty can also drive
this destruction.
Desperation can lead to the destruction
of forests for industrial development and
agricultural use that may yield shortterm
benefits but inflict long-term costs. “A true
ecological approach,” as Pope Francis has
reminded us, “always becomes a social
approach; it must integrate questions of
justice in debates on the environment, so as
to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry
of the poor.”[2]
The Holy See is convinced that the decisions
that we make must be undertaken with the full
and meaningful participation of those who will
be most impacted by them.
Conservation of the forests cannot be
realized at the expense of those communities
who have been living there for centuries.
Indeed, their lives experienced in harmony
with nature very often contribute positively
to demands of intergenerational solidarity
and the universal destination of the goods of
the earth. These communities must become
protagonists of environmental conservation
and their rights and values must be respected.
The forests will be sustainably managed only
with “the constant and active involvement
of local people from within their proper
culture.”[3]
Mr. Chair,
My Delegation is particularly concerned
with the fate of the Amazon, also in view of
the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon
Region, which will be held in the Vatican
this October. The upcoming Synod has as its
theme, “New Paths for the Church and for an
Integral Ecology.” Last year, on his visit to
Peru, Pope Francis spoke of the Amazon and
its unique position as “the largest tropical
forest and the most extensive river system
on the planet. This ‘lung’, as it has been
called, is one of the world’s regions of great
biodiversity, as it is home to a vast variety
of species.”[4] For this reason, “We have
to break with the historical paradigm that
views Amazonia as an inexhaustible source of
supplies for other countries without concern
for its inhabitants.”[5]
Since human beings are part of the
ecosystems that facilitate the relationships
giving life to our planet, caring for them
– since everything is interconnected – is
fundamental to promoting the dignity of each
individual, the common good of society, social
progress, and care for the environment. In
the Amazon Basin, integral ecology is key to
responding to the challenge of caring for the
immense wealth of its environmental and
cultural biodiversity.
In fact, the Amazon Basin encompasses
the last great rainforest, which, despite
the harmful intrusions it has suffered and
continues to suffer, remains the largest
forested area in our Earth’s tropical zone.
Recognizing the Amazon territory as a basin
that transcends the borders between countries
facilitates a unified view of the region and
is essential for the promotion of integral
development and ecology.
Mr. Chair,
My Delegation heartily supports the efforts
of this Forum to bring about an integral
improvement in the quality of human life,
especially of those left behind, which entails
considering the settings in which people live,
including forests. Better management of our
forest resources is a crucial part in our care for
our common home and for those who live in it.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
------------------
1. Pope Francis, Meeting with Authorities, the Civil
Society and the Diplomatic Corps, Lima, 19 January
2018.
2. Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, 49
(original emphasis).
3. Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, 144
(original emphasis).
4. Pope Francis, Meeting with Authorities, the Civil
Society and the Diplomatic Corps, Lima, 19 January
2018.
5. Pope Francis, Meeting with Indigenous People of
Amazonia, 19 January 2018.
B6 REFLECTIONS May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10 CBCP Monitor

The Holy Spirit as the Church’s guarantee The condition to enjoy a

of continuity of Jesus’ cause foretaste of heaven
6th Sunday of Easter, Year C, John 14:23-29 6th Sunday of Easter, Year C, John 14:23-29
May 26, 2019 May 26, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB

IT is a matter of consistency—those Love. They will enjoy the essence of

LIKE the previous Sunday’s,
today’s Gospel forms part of Jesus’
farewell discourses placed by John
in the context of the last supper.
Though, historically, these
discourses could be understood in
a situation wherein the community
of John was expelled from the
synagogue, yet they are meant to
answer the problems spawned by
Jesus’ physical departure from the
disciples. Once Jesus sits at the
right hand of the Father in heaven,
who will continue his teaching and
work? Like any other historical
person, Jesus could not have
taught everything to his disciples,
nor could he have, considering the
circumstances of his death, done
it completely. And even without
adverting to Mark’s portrait of
t h e d i s c i p l e s w h o f re qu e n t l y
misunderstood Jesus, it was
simply impossible for them, as
historical persons, to understand
everything he taught them. And
there are other related problems.
For instance, who will sustain the
disciples in the aftermath of the
shattering experience of Jesus’
death? Will his departure spell
the end of the community?
It is on account of these problems
that in John the supper discourses
look beyond Jesus’ death to the
resurrection. After his physical
departure, Jesus will remain
with the community of disciples
through his spiritual presence:
“I will ask the Father to give you
another Paraclete—to be with
you always” (John 14:16). The
Spirit is thus none other than the
spiritual presence of Jesus. Jesus
Holy Spirit / B7
who claim to believe in Christ
and love him have to prove it
through their actions. Jesus is not
satisfied with verbal protestations
of love and faithfulness. He wants
action. Already at the beginning
of his public life, he had warned
his disciples, “Not everyone who
calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the
Kingdom of heaven, but only those
who DO the will of my Father” (Mt
7:21). Later on, he proclaimed that
he considers as his closest relative
whoever DOES God’s will. (See Mk
3:35.)
In his discourse at the Last
Supper, the test of love is even more
personal: “Anyone who loves me
will be true to my word” (Jn 14:23).
Conversely, failure to be true to his
word signifies a lack of love for him.
(See v. 24.)
To be true to Jesus’ word means to
accept it in faith and to value it as the
most precious treasure; to take it as
one’s own highest inspiration in life;
and to live by it, no matter what the
cost. Such a cost may sometimes be
very high indeed. But the reward is
higher still. God will bless with His
continuous presence the believers
who have learned how to live by
the word of Christ. Then their lives
will take on a new dimension – the
dimension of communion with the
Father, the Son, and the Spirit of
heaven, already in this life.
This will be just a foretaste, of
course, since the fullness of heaven
lies beyond the many limitations of
our earthly life. But it will be a real
foretaste, nonetheless, which fills
the soul of the “genuine believer”
with divine splendor, insight, and
peace. It is the splendor coming
from the glory of the Father. (See
Rv 21:23.) It is the insight deriving
from the presence of the Spirit. (See
Jn 14:26.) It is the peace produced
in our hearts by the self-gift of the
Son. (See Jn 14:27.)
All this spells a unique dignity for
every human being. Man is great
on account of his intelligence, his
moral and artistic achievements,
and for the call to be with God
forever. But every human being is
especially great because he/she can
be the temple of the Blessed Trinity
already in this life. The condition to
actualize this potential is threefold,
as it is spelled out by Jesus himself:
• to open one’s heart to him in
humble faith,
• to love him tenderly, and
• to be true to his word.
Then heaven dawns on earth and
the hearts of human beings become
the most precious shrines in which
Father, Son, and Spirit love to
dwell.

Jesus’ Ascension as an assurance of our

participation in His heavenly glory
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year C, Luke 24:40-53,
June 2, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD

IN OLD TESTAMENT and that is above every other name”

Intertestamental Literature,
voyage from earth to heaven is a
widespread motif. The journey of
Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Baruch, and
Abraham easily comes to mind.
The Book of Enoch, for instance,
recounts how this son of Jared was
taken up into the heavens, and was
appointed guardian of heavenly
treasures, chief of the archangels,
and attendant upon God’s celestial
throne. Of course, in ancient
religions, we even find a detailed
account of the voyage through
the seven spheres of heaven with
their gates, hostile spirits and
other obstacles. But the Christian
understanding of the ascension of
Jesus is quite different. In Luke,
for example, it signifies the end of
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and
his earthly ministry, a beginning
of his exaltation, and a new way of
his presence among us.
To stress that the ascension
marks the end of Jesus’ journey
to Jerusalem and of his earthly
ministry, it may be noted that with
his account of Jesus’ ascension
(Luke 24:50-53), Luke’s narrative
on the journey to Jerusalem comes
to a close. In Luke 9:51, Jesus,
whom the Samaritans did not
welcome, resolutely determined
to journey to the city, where the
ultimate rejection awaited him.
Here in the farewell scene, that
journey is completed, as Jesus
blesses his disciples. At the same
time, this sets the end of Luke’s
account of the story of Jesus, for
just as it began in Jerusalem,
with Zechariah unable to bless
the people gathered in the temple
(Luke 1:21-22), so it ends in
Jerusalem, with the disciples
praising God in the temple, after
Jesus blessed them (Luke 24:52).
The ascension, therefore, marks
the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
In ascending, Jesus entered
into God’s presence. This is the
essential meaning of “going up” or
“ascending far above all heavens”
(Eph 4:10).
This, of course, is only one side
of the coin. The other is that it
signifies the beginning of Jesus’
exaltation: “God greatly exalted
him and bestowed on him the name
(Phil 2:9). “God exalted him at his
right hand as leader and savior”
(Acts 5:30a). It also indicates
the start of his glorification and
his enthronement at God’s right
hand: “Was it not necessary that
the Messiah should suffer these
things and enter into his glory?”
(Luke 24:26); “Jesus Christ who
has gone into heaven and is at the
right hand of God, with angels,
authorities, and powers subject
to him” (1 Pet 3:21c-22). As a
high priest, he passed through the
heavens (Heb 4:14) and entered
the heavenly sanctuary (9:24).
These images and meanings are,
of course, related to Jesus’ coming
into God’s presence.
But what about his relationship
to us? Since Jesus is now an
exalted and glorified Lord, the
mode of his presence changed.
Jesus entered into a new form
of presence with his disciples,
with us, and in the world. He is
present to his disciples on earth
in a spiritual way. With us, he is
especially present in his signs—in
his word, in his minister, in the
assembly, in the Eucharist and the
sacraments, and among others,
among the poor. But his presence
among us and in the world is the
beginning of the parousia. This
has been initiated into the world,
but in a hidden form. For this
reason, ascension serves as a
principle of hope, an anticipation
of glory for those who proclaim
his death and resurrection in their
lives. His invisible presence in his
signs will be disclosed definitively
in his return in glory. The preface
proper to the feast puts it this way:
“Mediator between God and man,
judge of the world and Lord of
hosts, he ascended, not to distance
himself from our lowly state, but
that we, his members, might be
confident of following where he,
our Head and Founder, has gone
before.”
What does this mean in simple
language? That Jesus must
ascend—this brought sorrow to his
disciples. But they were assured
of his presence of another kind. Of
course, life is a series of arrivals
Ascension / B7
CBCP Monitor May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10
Why the climate is changing
By Fr. Shay Cullen
THE students are on the streets,
waving banners, banging drums,
singing, chanting, and calling for an
end to the causes driving climate
change that is wrecking the planet.
They see the global warming caused
by huge amounts of CO2 and methane
gases heating up the environment and
causing the melting of the ice cap on a
gigantic scale never seen before. They
want to close coal-fired power plants
and governments to install renewable
wind and solar power farms and
geothermal generators to provide the
electricity we need.
They are the voice of the planet; they
are its feelings and its cry for help. The
planet is, in many ways, dying and
the human species, its magnificent
creation, is a vengeful child killing its
parent by savage greed. The warmer
atmosphere is evaporating more
water from the oceans, causing more
frequent powerful rainstorms as
never before. They, the children,
the teenagers, the youth, want and
demand a clean planet free from
poison chemicals and pollution and
the burning of fossil fuels.
They say enough, stop it and give
us and our
future children a clean planet.
They want to stop the acid rain. It is
poisoning the fish and the land and
the people that eat the fish. They are
demanding the skeptical reluctant
politicians to take political action to
cut CO2 gases and stop the damage
to the planet.
I saw the negative and damaging
impact of climate change on the lives
of ordinary Filipino people when
I went to visit the Aeta indigenous
farmers in our Preda fair trade mango
project. They live on the mountains of
Zambales and they were once forest
dwellers, hunters and gatherers.
They survived for 30,000 years,
anthropologists say.
They are an amazing people with
a culture and customs that would
put many a Western community
to shame. They have more gender
equality- women as tribal leaders,
men that carry the children on their
backs, a plant based medical practice
that has kept them alive for thousands
of years. They are under threat from
climate change. They have lost their
rain forests and the climate will
never revert again to be a balanced
harmonious influence for growth
if we do not stop the warming. The
greed of the ruling elite families with
international corporations devastated
Courage / B1
prepared to be committed, someone
willing to take a risk, ready to
stake everything she had, with no
more security than the certainty of
knowing that she was the bearer of
a promise.  I ask each one of you:
Do you see yourselves as bearers of
a promise?  What promise do I bear
within my heart to take forward?  grant us the courage to walk in the
Mary’s would undoubtedly be a
difficult mission, but the challenges
that lay ahead were no reason to say
‘no’.  Things would get complicated,
of course, but not in the same
way as happens when cowardice
paralyzes us because things are not
Misconduct / B2
case is to be determined by the
Congregation of the Roman Curia,
or by a tribunal designated by it.
The competent dicastery for the
Latin Church is the Congregation
for Divine Worship and Discipline
of the Sacraments (Pastor Bonus,
n.68). The Regulae servandae of
1931 recommend that the petitioner
submit his petition through his
proper ordinary (for a member of an
institute of consecrated life, through
his/her Superior).
--§2 Once the petition has been
sent, the cleric is by the law itself
forbidden to exercise orders.
Can.1710: If the Congregation
remits the case to a tribunal, the
canons concerning trials in general
and the ordinary contentious trial
are to be observed, unless the nature
of the matter requires otherwise and
without prejudice to the provisions
of this title.
Can.1711. In these cases, the
defender of the bond has the same
rights and is bound by the same
duties as the defender of the bond
of marriage.
Can.1712. After a second judgment
confirming the nullity of the sacred
ordination, the cleric loses all rights
proper to the clerical state and is
This Oct. 4, 2015 file photo shows religious groups join a “climate walk” in Manila to call on the government to address climate change. CARITAS PHILIPPINES
the rain forests by cutting and
exporting logs to rebuild Europe and
Japan after the Second World War.
Only 3 percent of forest cover is left
in isolated areas around the nation.
The bare hills were stripped of their
topsoil by the increased rainfall and
the brown earth was eroded and
washed into the sea. This soil covered
the coral and the smaller fish died
out and the bigger fish migrated to
deeper waters. Coastal fisher families
were catching less and in the deeper
waters foreign fishing fleets raided
the Philippine seas as the Chinese
do today.
Only rough grass and bushes grow
on the bare mountains. The climate
has changed as a result. The rice
harvest that should feed millions of
people has been lost in recent years.
Prices have risen through corruption
clear or sure in advance” (Vigil with
Young People, Panama, 26 January
2019).
On this World Day of Prayer for
Vocations, let us join in prayer and
ask the Lord to help us discover
his plan of love for our lives, and to
path that, from the beginning, he
has chosen for each of us.
From the Vatican, 31 January 2019
Memorial of Saint John Bosco
FRANCIS
freed from all its obligations.
Curial praxis for Declaration of
Nullity of Ordination
The DWDS usually asks the
Ordinary to conduct a preliminary
extra-judicial investigation in
order to determine probable cause
(Regular servanda, n.6). If the
Congregation accepts the libelous,
it determines whether it will
decide the matter itself through an
administrative process, or whether
it will designate an ordinary tribunal
to decide the matter through a
judicial process. The ordinary praxis
of the CDWD is to decide the matter
itself in the administrative process,
after delegating an Ordinary to form
a special tribunal to instruct the
case in the diocese. Nevertheless,
for particular cases, the CDWD
instructs the case itself.
From the foregoing, it can be
seen that here we have an option
that, on the whole, could prove
less notorious (scandalous) and
more pastorally fruitful, not only
as regards the repair of the injury
to the victims and the protection of
the common good of the Church, but
also as regards the rehabilitation of
the abusive cleric.
and mismanagement.
Rural poverty has increased and the
poor have abandoned the land and the
shores and migrated, like refugees,
to the slums of the big cities. There
they live in squalor, a once proud self-
sufficient people, reduced to barely
surviving. They squat in the shadows
of the rich that live in luxurious
condominiums. They eat ‘pagpag’ to
survive- that is the boiled left-overs
scraped from the food plates of the
rich that eat in the posh restaurants
and hotels.
But the Aetas have not become
refugees in their own country.
They have struggled to survive by
continuing to adapt to climate change
by planting and growing their own
root crops, vegetables in a natural
and organic way. They produce fair
trade organic mangos, the only such
Holy Spirit / B6
is the first paraclete, and the Holy
Spirit is another. Jesus and the
Spirit resemble each other: both
are sent by the Father (3:17, 4:26)
both remain with the disciples
(14:20; 14:17), and both guide
them (14:16; 16:13). Moreover,
even if the world of men and sin
hates the community, they are
assured of not falling into the lie
and the devil, because the Spirit is
a Spirit of Truth (14:17), who will
guide them into all truth (16:13).
Of the functions of the Holy Spirit,
the Gospel mentions two of them:
to teach all things, and to bring
remembrance: “The Paraclete, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, will instruct you
in everything, and remind you of
all that I told you” (14:26).
Since Jesus is the once-and-for-
all revelation of God (Heb 1:1),
the Holy Spirit will not make any
new revelations. That is not his
work. Nothing is to be added to
what has been revealed by God
in the life and person of Jesus.
Rather, it belongs to him to
help—Paraclete means helper—
the community understands the
meaning of the words and actions
of Jesus that up to the time of
his death were obscure to the
disciples. Thus, for example, it
was only after the resurrection
Ascension / B6
and departures. After graduating
from high school, one goes to
college. One says good-bye to
bachelorhood when he enters into
marriage. But the transition from
one term to another is never easy.
Some individuals get married,
but their mentality remains that
of a bachelor. Yet, one cannot
appreciate the stage of life one
enters unless there is a change
in mind-set. Some parents find
it difficult to realize that their
group to do so internationally certified
by Naturland. They live in poor
villages but eat and produce healthy,
nutritious natural grown food.
Susan, an Aeta village chief,
a woman, explains how they
experience climate change. She
tells of the unexpected rainstorms
that destroy the mango blossoms.
There have been no mango fruits for
three years in their mountains. It is
the rebuke of a wounded and hurt
nature. It feels the pain of neglect
and convulses in agony with the
death of plants and forests animals
driven to extinction. Landslides
scar the hills, rivers are polluted,
chickens die, children cry and
sickness is more frequent.
We are destroying our own habitat
and eliminating our role as the
planet’s self-awareness. When
that they were able to understand
the saying, “Destroy this temple
and in three days I will raise it
up” (1:19). In addition, what
Jesus spoke of implicitly, the
Spirit will make it explicit. He
will enable the community to
perceive the deeper meaning of
Jesus’ teaching. Moreover, he
will unfold new interpretations
of what the early Jesus revealed
to the community.
However, the Spirit uncovers
not only new understanding
and interpretation, but even
application of God’s revelation
in Jesus. In the community’s
encounter with new problems
that arise when faith is confronted
with various situations, the
Spirit will make a creative
application of the gospel. That
way, the community perceives
the relevance of Jesus’ teaching
to contemporary life. When the
early Church, as related in the
1st Reading (Acts 7:55-60), faced
the problem of circumcision
vis-à-vis the admission of the
Gentiles to the community,
the resolution reached by
the disputing parties at the
Council of Jerusalem reflects
the workings of the Holy Spirit:
“It is the decision of the Holy
Spirit, and ours, too, not to lay
sons and daughters are no longer
children: they simply cannot let
go. The same may be said of faith.
That Jesus is seated at the right
hand and no longer present to
us in the way he was physically
present to his disciples during
the public ministry—this is not
necessary a disadvantage for us.
On the contrary, we must ever
rejoice because of it, even as the
disciples were filled with joy as
they witnessed the ascension.
SOCIAL CONCERNS B7
we are at war with the earth, we
are at war with ourselves. When
we hurt the planet earth, we hurt
ourselves for we are one with it. We
humans have evolved from its soil,
its chemistry, and its life forms. The
earth is our mother that gave us
life and we are its consciousnesses.
Through us, the planet and the
universe reflects and contemplates
its own self because we are its brain,
the thinking being and the planet is
conscious and self-aware through
us.
Every one of us has to redeem
the failures of the human race that
is destroying ourselves and the
earth. We must cry out and take to
the streets in peaceful non-violent
protest and claim our rights as
belonging to a clean healthy planet
of which we are an intimate part.
on you any burden beyond that
which is strictly necessary” (Acts
15:28). As a great Johannine
commentator, Hoskyns, puts it,
“the Spirit’s work is more than
a reminiscence of the ipsissima
verba of the Son of God; it is a
living representation of all that
he had spoken to his disciples,
a creative exploitation of the
gospel.”
By fulfilling his teaching
function, the Holy Spirit bears
witness to Jesus: “When the
Paraclete comes… he will bear
witness on my behalf” (John
15:26). He ensures, in other
words, that, even if conditions
and circumstances change, the
identity and continuity of the
truth that Jesus revealed to
the first community is assured.
What Jesus said, the Holy Spirit
recreates and perpetuates.
Hence, when the Church speaks
on such issues as militarization,
globalization, migration, etc.
from ethical and doctrinal
perspectives, one is assured that
it is the same truth the disciples
had heard that is being preached
today. Through the Holy Spirit,
the Church is guaranteed with
the continuity of Jesus words and
works, even without his physical
presence.
Today, his presence to us who
believe in his power is no less
real than his presence to his
disciples. And that experience
of his presence is the beginning
of the parousia. If we have
an intimate relationship with
him, we are assured of the final
revelation of that participation
when he returns in glory. The
final transition will occur, and
what Jesus is, we will experience
and share.
B8 ENTERTAINMENT
Avengers: Endgame
It is not the superpowers per se that can defeat the oppressor but
teamwork, selflessness, and embracing one’s higher purpose,
whatever it takes.
Technical assessment: 4
Moral assessment: 3.5
MTRCB rating: PG
CINEMA rating: V13
Three weeks after Thanos
(Brolin) snaps his finger
and disintegrates half of life,
Captain Marvel (Larson)
rescues Tony Starks
(Downey) and Nebula from
outer space and reunites
with the remaining avengers
on earth — Romanoff,
Captain, Rocket, Patriot,
Banner and Thor. Together
find Thanos, hoping to
retrieve the Infinity Stones
and undo the destructions.
However, Thanos reveals he
has destroyed the stones and
gets beheaded by a frustrated
Thor. Five years hence, Scott
Lang escapes the quantum
realm and convinces the
Avengers to travel back in
time and retrieve the stones.
They recruit Banner  —   w ho
successfully merged his
intelligent side with Hulk’s
body  —   a nd Thor  —   n ow an
overweight alcoholic still
reeling from his failure to
save humanity. Stark refuses
to help as he is now a father
of 5-year-old Morgan. But
after talking to his wife
Pepper (Paltrow), he decides
to perfect the time travel
technology and joins the
team to retrieve the Infinity
Stones in various times
before Thanos does. This
brings certain closures and
requires painful sacrifices
from our heroes.
Avengers: Endgame
completes the narrative
arcs of the 22-movie long
individual journeys of its
characters. While we can take
Endgame as a standalone
film, understanding it from
2008 Iron Man (and we are
almost sure most viewers
saw the previous films)
allows viewers to appreciate
the struggles and triumphs
of its characters. And this is
the greatest strength of the
moviethe slow unfolding
of individual stories tightly
woven into the main conflict
and the antagonist’s own
arc (even Thanos is given
a backstory). The other
elements  —   t he imaginative
design, the gripping action
May 13 - 26 , 2019 Vol. 23 No. 10 CBCP Monitor
Buhay San Miguel Brothers Matias
TERIBOL OG Bladimer Usi
Buhay Parokya
FIND 3 MISSING THINGS:
1. ST. JOSEPH
2. ARCHANGEL GABRIEL
3. HOLY BIBLE
scenes, the impressive CGIs,
the emotional score and
the seamless editing  —   a re
subservient to and
supportive of the storyline,
pushing it forward, bathing
it in drama and comedy as
needed and underlining
its message with powerful
punches in the soul. By the
time fans watch Endgame,
they would have been so
emotionally invested that
each triumph (like when the
disappeared heroes return)
is a celebration, each death
is a heartbreak and each
conclusion is bittersweet.
Taking the film as a whole,
we can talk about sacrifice
and selflessness. Natasha
kept the team together
in the beginning and let
herself go in the end to
save humanity. Starks,
the conceited self-serving
genius millionaire whom
Cap said in the very first
Avenger can never sacrifice
for others, ultimately did.
The battlecry, “Whatever
it takes!” resonates real
struggles ordinary people
fight everyday. Thanos is
not the just the intergalactic
Titan but a representation
of people and situations
that oppress. Avengers:
Endgame showed that it is
not the superpowers per se
that can defeat the oppressor
but teamwork, selflessness,
and embracing one’s higher
The Kid Who Would be King the Round Table and whose
famous sword, Excalibur,
story has more layers than
an onion and is heavy with
purpose even if you can turn Director: Joe Cornish was caught in a vast rock. symbolism. To the very young
your back on it. Individually, Lead Cast: Louis Ashborn The sword could be drawn it is obviously a good-vs-evil
Serkis, Dean Choumoo, out solely by an authentic thing and we know very well
we learn from Captain Rebecca Ferguson, Patrick
America’s willingness to Stewart, Tom Taylor,
descendant of Arthur. Who which should win. But to the
live an ordinary life instead Rhianna Doris, Angus Imrie would have thought that the more experienced, the battle
of remaining the superhero Screenwriter: Joe Cornish celebrated sword would wind is not simply between Team
Producer: Nira Park, Tim up in 21st Century US of A? A and Team B. The message
the world worships. We Bevan, Eric Felliner
see how Peter Quill will Editor: Jonathan Amos, Paul That the underdogs in The is that one triumphs over evil
not give up on his one true Machliss Kid Who Would be King when one succeeds in battling
Musical Director: Electric Wave would turn out to be the the dark forces within oneself,
love even if she does not Bureau
recognise him. We see how chosen ones in this sword- the demons of fear, self-
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Thor grieved and became Cinematographer: Bill Pope centered contemporary doubt, insecurity. When one
depressed — from successive Distributor: 20th Century Fox adventure fantasy clearly remains in sin — in darkness,
Location: United Kingdom says this movie is made for not in light — evil inevitably
failures to save Asgard from Running Time: 120 Minutes
Hela (in Ragnarok) and boys their age. And maybe wins. (Morgana waits for
the world from Thanos Technical assessment: 3 subteen girls who wish to find darkness to strike). However
Moral assessment: 4 superhero boyfriends. young people may view it, the
(in Infinity Wars) — and CINEMA rating: V13
relinquished his throne to The appreciation of The film is empowering in that
a person he felt deserved it Opening the film is a colorful a time” — about a king called Kid Who Would Be King it gives hope — lest we throw
more.  animation of something A rt h u r, w h o u ni t e d h i s depends on the maturity in a spoiler, just watch what
that happened “Once upon kingdom with his Knights of of one watching it. The happens to the bullies.
 THE CROSS
A Supplement Publication of the Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI
CBCP Monitor Vol. 23, No. 10 May 13 - 26, 2019

Charity is at the heart of KC

Order — Mindanao Deputy
THE head of the Knights
of Columbus in Mindanao
encouraged their
members to continue
works of charity in favor
of the neediest.
Speaking at the opening of the
19th KC Mindanao State Convention
in Davao City on May 3, their State
Deputy, Gerry Eutemio Mission, said
works must continue for the spiritual
and material advancement of people
in poor communities.
He said their mandate is to pursue
charitable works in everything they
do whether it is an organized event,
cause or just a simple act.
“The most basic virtue of our
faith in line with the faith in action
program of our Fraternal Order is
charity, the care for the needy and
the outcast,” Mission said.
“In this spirit, I urge every Brother
Knight to continue the works of
charity you have undertaken and
remain supportive to our religious
endeavors,” he said.
More than 1,000 Knights from
across southern Philippines attended
the convention that was held at the
Grand Regal Hotel from May 3 to 5.
This year’s theme was “Knights of
Columbus, Knights of Charity”. Bro. Gerry Eutemio T. Mission, Mindanao Deputy; Bro. Jose C. Reyes, Jr., Luzon North Deputy and Supreme Director; Most Rev Jose Colin M. Bagaforo, Bishop of Kidapawan & Mindanao State Chaplain and the
The state convention is an annual Officers of the K of C Mindanao Jurisdiction during their 19th Annual State Convention held at Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City last May 3 to 5, 2019.
gathering of brother Knights across
Mindanao to strengthen fraternal Programs and activities during the In other jurisdictions, State the Century Park Hotel, Manila; and Visayas - May 17 to 19 at the
ties and to renew commitment to the gathering are also aimed to recommit Conventions are scheduled as Luzon South - May 25 at the Bellevue Resorts Negrense in Bacolod City.
Christian of Columbianism. them to the goals of the Order. follows: Luzon North - May 18 at Manila, Alabang, Muntinlupa City; (RLagarde)

K OF C PHILIPPINES UPDATE:
BATANES - Following the
installation of the first council in
Batanes and upon the request of
Fr. Ronaldo “Zenki” Manabat,
Rector and Parish Priest of
Basco Cathedral and the
Charter Grand Knight, a special
2nd degree exemplification
was conducted. A total of 26
candidates including 4 priests
were elevated to the formation
degree. Another council was
established and this was in
Ivana, Batanes where 30 new
members were exemplified.
After the exemplification,
election of officers was
conducted. The Grand Knight
was Rev. Fr. Demetrio Quintos
(parish priest) with Bro. Jerry
Agana as Deputy Grand
Knight. The third council
established was at Mahatao,
Batanes were 18 members
were exemplified and Rev. Fr.
Aniceto Abiera (parish priest)
was elected Grand Knight and
Bro. Jovie Agresor as Deputy
Grand Knight.
Not only 3 councils were
established in Batanes but
also the investiture of the
first Columbian Squire Circle
K OF C FOUNDATIONS UPDATE:
First Fraternal Mass of Basco Council held last May 5, 2019 celebrated by Fr. Zenki Manabat attended by about 30 Council members.
(MRLodrigito)
was also held with 22 Charter
Members. Majority of the
members were Monaguillos
(alter servers). The
installation of circle officers
was also held.
The other activity where
Brother Knights were very
active was the maritime
procession in honor of Our
Lady of Porta Vaga. It was
participated and witnessed
by over 500 devotees. For the
first time, the Ivatans saw the
Knights of Columbus in full
Honor Guard Regalia. Bishop
Ulep personally thanked the
team for their support and
participation.
The 6-day program of the
KC Luzon North activity
was truly fruitful with 2 new
councils and 1 circle being
established. These would not
have been achieved without
the persistence of Fr. Zenki
and support of the clergy
of the Prelature of Batanes
and through the leadership
of Bro. Jose C. Reyes, Jr.,
KC Luzon North Deputy
and Supreme Director.
Special citation should be
given to Bro. Mark Anthony
Lodrigito, Squire Chairman
of KC Luzon North.
Manila Council 1000 Celebrates
its 114th Anniversary
The Knights of Columbus Council 1000 headed by WGK Reynaldo D. Valencia, WDD Noel
S. Lacanilao, Past Grand Knights,, Officers and members during the 114th Anniversary
Celebration held at Max’s Restaurant Maria Orosa, Manila. (JKYngco)
LAST April 27, 2019, the Manila anniversary last April 23,
Council 1000 celebrated their 2019 held at San Agustin
114th Anniversary at Max’s Church, Intramuros, Manila.
Restaurant Maria Orosa. The The celebration was
first and premier council in the attended by Past Grand
Philippines was established Knights, past and current
last April 23, 1905 with thirty- Council 1000 Officers led
one chartered members and by CY 2018 to 2019 Worthy
are now composed of 1,128 Grand Knight Reynaldo
members. This was preceded D. Valencia, Worthy State
by a Holy Mass celebrated Program Director Elmer Z.
on the actual date of the Anniversary / C3

KC Philippines Foundation, Inc. receives its PCNC Accreditation

LAST March 2019, the Philippine
Council for NGO Certification
(PCNC) has issued the Certificate
of Accreditation for the KC
Philippines Foundation, Inc.
(KCPFI). The certification was
issued upon the approval of
the former’s Board of Directors
during their meeting held last
January. Duly recognized by
the body, the Foundation is now
given the “done institution”
status of the Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR).
Granted to act as a “donee
institution” by the BIR,
any donation received by the
Foundation shall be entitled
to the donor/s full or limited
deduction and exemption from
donor’s tax. This is in compliance
to the regulatory requirements
prescribed by the government.
As of today, the KCPFI is now
on the 48th year of its corporate
life. The foundation acts as the
social responsibility arm of the
Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines, Inc. Certificate of Accreditation issued by the Philippine Council for NGO The Knights of Columbus Mindanao Jurisdiction together with their ladies and Special
(JSServiento) Certification (PCNC) to the KC Philippines Foundation, Inc. (KCPFI). Guest, Bro. Jose C. Reyes, Jr. Supreme Director and Luzon North State Deputy during
their 19th Annual State Convention held at Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City last May 3
to 5, 2019.
C2 May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 THE CROSS
Ramoncito A. Ocampo Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

President’s Chairman’s Message

Message
Praying while Moving Forward

Mothers, our everyday hero WHILE still in the Easter season and now the more important concern now. Or, motives, and not pursue their ambitions
that the Mid-term Election is finished, the people we voted may have lost. But at the expense of others.
“Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help
we ought to continue praying while instead of looking for faults as soon Let us leave behind our sinfulness
you conquer in your daily struggle” - St. Josemaria Escriva
moving forward in the direction towards as they start working, let us identify and be reconciled with God always.
SHE is the first woman in our lives, she gives us the wonderful
God. First, let us pray for thanksgiving how we can help. We cannot expect Being a member of the Knights of
right of existence, and the human experience we had as of
that through the death and resurrection much progress in places where there is Columbus, let us be living witnesses
today. She is the reincarnation of God in the image of a woman.
of Jesus, we will also be born again to conflict such as family feuds, political to God’s goodness. Let us invite to our
She is the best definition of superlative, going beyond human
newness of life. One day, we will die, party mud slinging, etc. organization every Catholic gentleman
limits. She loves us wholeheartedly and molded our pillars of
resurrect and join our God in heaven. So, Thirdly, let us pray for our families. we encounter. Bring them closer to
strength for us to become successful in every way. She gives
while here on earth, let us live our life in If we want change, let us begin with God through their active service in the
us our footing and sunshine when we feel that our world is
ways that will lead us to eternity. ourselves, within our families, then, make parishes and through outreach projects
breaking apart. Simply, she is a superhero with no power on
Secondly, let us continue praying changes in our communities through in the communities, especially those
her hands but carries a great responsibility.
for peace in our country. God granted the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us intended for poor families. And in
Our mothers, a unique creation of God. Her love that will
our prayers for less violence in the pray for our newly elected Senators, doing all these things, let us not lose
forever be priceless and will always be unconditional. Her love
recently concluded election. The Congressmen, Party List Leaders and our direction in life, that is moving
that cannot be replaced, the love that is selfless, the love with
people we have voted may have won, local officials. May they all work for forward to God always.
a strong willpower. The love that is so strong and deep that
but how they will serve their term is the common good, set aside any selfish Vivat Jesus!
will always caress us over the ignorance we had in this world.
God was easily recognizable in her. The idea of birthing
process just as like how He created the universe, our planet Karlo Serviento
and we, His children. Our Father in heaven, guarantees us
with his maternal nature just as how our mothers gave us the
opportunity to breathe and live a full life in this world. He keeps
Pondering the Words
trail on 7.7 billion people on our planet, like our mothers who
will always be there to protect and guide us 24 hours a day, God be with you
7 days a week. Truly, the love he formed for the mothers are
exceptional.
In this season, we are reflecting on the essence of a mother
and her love. Whether she has children on her own or not, ASCENSION Sunday is really the person who served as your each time we bid goodbye. On challenge for us to be sharers
we must still focus on giving her love, kindness, care and fast approaching. We have inspiration go far from you? the apostles’ case, it is the of God’s love. Let anger turn
understanding—the same righteous attributes she uses to walked through the path of These are the questions Lord who promised that He into joy. Let hatred turn into
raise us. May God still continue His handiwork in weaving a the passion to Jesus’ death on that are answerable by the will be with them until the end harmony. Let selfishness turn
mother’s heart from this day onwards. Let us celebrate with a the cross and His triumphant life the apostles had after of times. The promise became into selflessness. In fact, we
more Christ-centered day thus more fulfilling Mother’s Day. resurrection. Sooner, we Jesus’ ascension. At the start, their foundation to move are not merely the Easter
Vivat Jesus! will celebrate His glorious they might all be puzzled. ahead and go forward. The People, rather, every creation
ascension to His and our They might not know how to God be with you now turned of God from east to west
Arsenio Isidro G. Yap real home, the Eternal City start without a master. They to - God is with you. and north to south, nation
of Heaven. On the following might not be able to act as How then did Our Lord from every nation, tribe from
Sundays, the gospels have normal human beings. It is fulfill His promise? Love every tribe and culture from
A Brother’s Insight one central theme and it is too hard to let someone who is the fulfilment of God’s every culture are the Easter
“commendation.” has influenced your whole promise. “I give you a new People, we are the fruits of the
How hard is it to bid being go and make his or her commandment, that you love resurrection.
farewell to a person who own path. It is very hard to one another. Just as I have As we move forward, may
showed care, compassion and say goodbye. loved you, you should also we be witnesses of this Love
mercy on you? How can you In a book entitled Praying love one another. (Jn. 13:34)” to every person we meet and
2019 Mid-term Election Day bid goodbye to a person who our Goodbyes by Joyce Rupp, Where there is Love, there hear them proclaim as they
loved you from your strongest the author emphasized that is God. And as Pope Francis have seen in us, Vidimus enim
TODAY is May 13 and is a mid-term election day. As a PPCRV points to the weakest you the word goodbye means God once told, the name of the Dominus! We have seen the
volunteer I have observed different situations in different have? How difficult is it to let be with you. We bless someone Lord is mercy. It is now the Lord!
polling places. In my own barangay where I voted, there were
only three clustered precincts and voting was very peaceful and Erwin John Mallari
casting a ballot was a breeze. It only took us thirty minutes to
be in line, had our credentials checked and cast our ballots.
The biometrics though not working properly was efficient EJ’s Corner
enough to stave off any unwanted piling up of the lines and no
signatures were required. Ilaw ng Tahanan
When I had my fingerprint checked by the machine, almost
instantly I was recognized and my picture appeared while
others were not as lucky as they need to have several of their
fingers checked only to end up encoding their name in the CLOSE family ties is a big part of same day. The origin of the celebration take care of the children, do household
machine. Once their names are encoded, their picture would Filipino culture. Most of us grew in in the Philippines dates back to 1921 chores, give support to their husband,
also appear in a sec, hence a positive identification of a qualified households wherein we lived within when a group known as the Ilocos Norte and much more all in one day, everyday.
voter. the same compound with our relatives Federation of women’s club asked for Being the one who primarily cares for
The poll watchers of political parties or their representatives or are in close proximity with their a holiday to celebrate and “honor the everyone in the family, mothers play
are not giving out sample ballots, are outside of school premises homes. Even after we grow up we still fabulous women who brought forth different roles at home. They become
and in my assessment are just waiting for the tallying of votes live with our parents and take care God’s children into this world”. They teachers to their children, helping them
and would get their copy of the returns if they belong to a of them in their old age as they took were given the 1st Monday of December study at home and do their assignments.
dominant party. Barangay personnel are also nearby and also care of us during our infancy and to celebrate Mother’s day. Several years When a family member is sick, mothers
outside the school premises giving assistance to voters. childhood. The tender loving care is later, President Manuel L. Quezon become doctors and nurses their patient
It’s so peaceful in our barangay that there’s no need for the embedded within our DNA and we get changed the name of the day to “parents back to health. Mothers are also the
services of the PPCRV although in the past elections, there most of that value from the very first day” to honor both parents since there biggest fans and cheerleaders of their
were some PPCRV volunteers. The BEI and their support group person we came into contact with, the was still no father’s day at the time. In family whether it’s sports or academics,
are very well organized and are very courteous especially to person who loved us, before she even 1988, President Cory Aquino issued or arts and music.
senior citizens like me and my wife. Had it not been for our met us, our mother. presidential decree no. 266 declaring the They say that “children are God’s gift”
two daughters who were in a regular line, my wife and I would The month of May gives us a day second Sunday of May as mother’s day and they really are lucky to have a mother
only have taken ten minutes to complete the whole process. to honor, cherish, and celebrate our and the 3rd Sunday of June for father’s who will always treasure them. Not only
There are twenty two clustered precincts in the parish where I Mothers. Over forty (40) countries day. do mothers know best, they are the best.
was among the PPCRV volunteers which included two precincts around the world celebrate mother’s day To this day I still do not know how Thank you for everything and Happy
for PWDs. The story here is different. It’s very chaotic because but not all of them celebrate it on the mothers are able to work at the office, Mother’s day to all Moms!
there are too many voters and lines were a whole lot longer
than where I casted my votes. There are reports of vote buying Atty. Luis Voltaire D. Formilleza
headed by some barangay officials which could not be validated.
Most of the biometric machines were not working and manual
encoding is also not possible. The BEIs have to resort to a Ponderings on Mothers and Motherhood
computerized listing provided by COMELEC to qualify voters
to cast their votes. This slows down the process considerably
compared with a working biometric machine.
Secondly, the still able bodied seniors, who are still quite
agile refuses to go to the second floor where some of their
precincts are located. They wanted special treatment and EVERY year a particular date a mother to a child is a known as the Maternity Leave and their families who are
are insistent that they cast their votes on the first floor. This in the calendar is celebrated universally important tenet Law. Under the new law, any the primary stakeholders
slows down the whole process as the teachers would have to as Mother’s Day. It is an of human life which all of us pregnant female worker in of a confraternity such ours
go down and assist them; get their ID; run up and verify their opportunity for most of us cannot live without. shall be granted a maternity in the Knights of Columbus
identity; go down again to hand them their ballot; run up again to show our ultimate love to For Catholics, this is among leave of one hundred and Fraternal Association of the
Brother’s Insight / C3 the person who continuously the primary impetus for our five (105) days with full pay, Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI)
nurture us with love, care devotion to our Mary Mother regardless of whether she

THE CROSS
and compassion. But through
the years, this occasion we
specially dedicate to mothers
A Supplement Publication of the has expanded to not just
Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI celebrating the foremost
woman of the house. As it
Editorial Board stands, Mother’s Day is a
Jose C. Reyes, Jr. Ramoncito A. Ocampo celebration of the role of
Chairman President motherhood and maternal
bonds which goes beyond
Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III bloodlines. Hence, even those
Spiritual Director whom we do not consider as
biological mothers are greeted
Mary Magdalene G. Flores and treated during Mother’s
Editor-in-Chief
Day, as special persons in
Jhon Lyndon D. Palafox, Juan Karlo S. Serviento our lives who stepped in the
Associate Editors shoes of our real moms, may
it be in our extended families,
Jerome P. De Guzman, Erwin John B. Mallari, Kris Jay Rolex A. Yngco workplace and communities.
Contributors This evolution of Mother’s Day
is manifestation that while
The Cross is published monthly with its business at KCFAPI, General Luna cor. Sta. societies grow and develop,
Potenciana Sts., Intramuros, Manila with tel. no. (02) 527-22-23 to 27 (trunk line) local
200, 201. Email Address: kcfraternal@kofc.org.ph. Website: http://www.kofc.org.ph the constant nurturing of
of God whom we honor
and praise for continuous
nurturing, care and guidance.
This reverence to mothers
is aptly quoted as: “Strength
and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to
come. She opens her mouth
with wisdom, and the teaching
of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of
her household and does not
eat the bread of idleness.” –
Proverbs 31:25-28
***
In the light of societal
recognition of motherhood
and the important role that
mothers play, we applaud
the passing of Republic Act
11210- Amendments to the
Republic 1161 as Amended by
Republic Act 8282, otherwise
gave birth via caesarian
section or natural delivery,
while maternity leave of sixty
(60) days with full pay be
granted for miscarriage or
emergency termination of
pregnancy. Additional fifteen
(15) days of maternity leave
shall be granted to those who
are qualified as “Solo Parents”
under the RA 8972 otherwise
known as the Solo Parent
Act. Furthermore, the law
provides that entitled female
worker may allocate maternity
leave credits of up to seven
(7) days to the child’s father,
which shall be over and above
the leave credits under RA
8187, otherwise known as the
Paternity Leave Act of 1997.
Indeed, it is a welcomed piece
of legislation for mothers
***
A little over three (3)
years ago, the first woman
that I ever loved and will
continually love, succumbed
to the cancer. It is a void that
can never be replaced and a
fact that I have to contend
with until I meet here again
in the afterlife. I miss you
every single day. And so as
the world, celebrates all the
Moms out there and the role
of motherhood, I give a big
shout out to my Mom, Agnes
Delas Llagas Formilleza. I
will continuously live as you
have taught me and will be
a continuous blessing to the
people around me as you did
yourself when you were still
with us. I hope your lawyer
is doing you proud up there.
THE CROSS May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 C3

The tragic fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral evokes both our history and our responsibility as Catholics
by Supreme Knight
Carl A. Anderson
I AM WRITING this column
while a massive fire is still
engulfing our beautiful Notre-
Dame Cathedral in Paris. I say
“our” because this magnificent
structure has been for centuries
an artistic patrimony of
humanity, a place of prayer
for millions of Catholics in
France and throughout the
world — and, more recently, a
special place for the Knights of
We will rebuild
Columbus.
In May 2017, I joined a
delegation of brother Knights
from Paris to attend Mass
at Notre-Dame Cathedral
and to participate in a special
exposition and veneration
of the relic of the Crown of
Thorns. Later that year, the
Knights of Columbus was one
of the major sponsors of a
light show on the cathedral’s
façade. Titled “Dame de Coeur”
(Queen of Hearts), the light
show depicted the history of the
cathedral in commemoration
of World War I.
From the two-volume history
The Knights of Columbus in
Peace and War (1920), we read
this: “In Paris on Good Friday
1919, the most impressive
religious service held in the
history of the American
Expeditionary Forces in
Europe took place when the
Knights of Columbus … held
a service there for the public
adoration of the cross. Ten
thousand Americans packed
the great edifice; the Cardinal
Archbishop of Paris, Mons.
Amette, presided.”
Much has been said about
the significance of this tragic
fire. It is difficult to grasp its
significance for the French
people and especially French
Catholics.
Perhaps “The Virgin at
Noon,” a poem by Paul Claudel,
can help us understand. It
is noteworthy that Claudel’s
conversion took place in Notre-
Dame Cathedral during the
singing of the Magnificat on
Christmas Day 1886.
“It is noon. The church is
open.
I must go in.
Mother of our Lord, I have
not
come to pray.
I have nothing to give and
nothing to ask.
I am here, my Lady, only to
look at you.
To look at you, to cry for joy,
to know
That I am your son and you
are there. at this moment of today. before their eyes.”
Only for one moment when Because you are there for Mindful of all the
everything stops. always, controversies consuming
Noon! simply because you are the Church in recent years,
To be with you, Mary, in Mary, the image of this burning
this place Simply because you exist. cathedral seemed in a way to
where you are. Mother of Our Lord, we give symbolize the devastation so
To say nothing, to look at thanks to you.” many Catholics have felt as our
your face. When the president of Church has been rocked by one
To let my heart sing in its France announced today that crisis after another.
own language. Notre-Dame Cathedral will Fires have destroyed great
To say nothing, but simply be rebuilt, I thought of how cathedrals before, and they
to sing the great Gothic cathedrals have been rebuilt. So let us
because my heart is too were originally constructed. hope this will be true again.
full… . An account from 1144 states But not only this church.
Because you saved me, that the faithful were freely Let us resolve to patiently
because “harnessed to carts, laden “rebuild” the Church, not with
you saved France. with stones, timbers, corn and granite and mortar, but with
Because France too, like whatever might be needed living stones in the spirit of
myself, was for the work of building those earlier builders — with
for you a thing to be the cathedral, the towers of humility, penance and with
considered. which rose like magic into gratitude for the miracle that
Because at that moment the heavens… . Everywhere God is still performing before
when men humbled themselves, our eyes.
everything collapsed, you did penance, and forgave their And let us do so with
intervened. enemies. Men and women confidence in Mary, who “at
Because you saved France could be seen dragging heavy that moment when everything
once again. loads through mire and marsh, collapsed” does not hesitate to
Because it is noon, because praising in song the miracle intervene for us.
we are which God was performing Vivat Jesus!

The Gentle Warrior An INVITATION to become a

FR. GEORGE J. WILLMANN, SJ
By James B. Reuter, SJ FELLOW

CHAPTER FIVE THE “Fr. George J. Willmann Fellows” was launched

by the Knights of Columbus Father George J. Willmann
THE WAR YEARS union! programmed procedure, to
The Japanese Seminarian convince the Filipino people
Charities, Inc. last June 29, 1997 during the Centennial
“Even more. One American explained that he had been that the Japanese were friends. Birth Anniversary celebration of Rev. Fr. George J.
prisoner was dragging himself drafted from the Seminary. George went to Saint Willmann, S.J. This fund-raising campaign finances the
along in obvious distress. He did not volunteer. He did Scholastica’s, to visit theological research expenses necessary to possibly
Finally, he fell, prostrate, in not want to come. But the wounded American soldiers. raise Fr. Willmann to the honors of the altar. Last
the road, unable to proceed. Japanese government felt that The Japanese chose Saint
In the Bataan Death March, Seminarians were necessary, Scholastica’s for this, because December 7, 2015, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G.
the guards had killed those to convince the Filipino people the Benedictine nuns were Cardinal Tagle has officially opened the Archdiocesan
who collapsed. We held our that Japan was not hostile to German, and Germany was Process for the Causes of Beatification and Canonization
breath, as a Jap soldier, the Church. The Seminarian the ally of the Japanese. In of Fr. George J. Willmann.
bayonet on rifle, approached said that he had been out on the hospital wards, George
Membership to the Fr. Willmann Fellows is open to all
the poor fellow. the water, off the coast of the discovered that very many
“But no. Not brutal in Philippines, since October of of the American boys were Knights of Columbus councils, members, their families,
Forces on Corregidor. George friends and even to business institutions. As of December
the least, the guard bent 1941. And Pearl Harbor did there not because of wounds,
listened to the radio in his
down, and half- lifting, half- not happen until December 8! but because of battle fatigue! 2018, more than 1,100 individuals and 36 institutions all
room, at night, with the lights
supporting the American, Not only the Religious Battle Fatigue was the new over the country have already joined this fellowship. Father
out and the door locked. It was
trudged together with him Section of the Japanese word, in World War II, for
a crime to listen to the Voice Willmann Fellows serve as co-sponsors in the work of
down the street out of sight.” Army was making an effort to what was called “Shell Shock”
of Freedom. George knew spreading the good news about Fr. Willmann’s life, works
George saw good, even in befriend the Filipinos — the in World War I. The name
that it was the voice of Leon
the Japanese, when he was whole military organization was changed because it was and holiness. Their donation is a lifetime subscription
Maria Guerrero, saying: “It
suffering under the Japanese! wanted to convince the discovered that a boy could to the initiative of the Knights of Columbus of promoting
would be so sad, so tragic, if
It was true that the Japanese Filipino population that the come down with battle fatigue,
we surrendered today and help awareness on Father Willmann in order that authentic
were making an effort to coming of the Japanese was or with shell shock, without
arrived tomorrow!” devotion to him may be encouraged among the faithful,
convince the Filipinos that they not a hostile invasion, it was hearing any shell fire. It was
Then, suddenly, it was no especially those who need his intercession for God’s grace.
were friends, that this was not liberation from the tyranny of insanity, brought about by
longer the voice of Leonnie
a religious war. The religious the Americans! the pressure of war. The boys We therefore cordially invite you and your loved ones
Guerrero. It was the voice of
section of the Japanese Army It manifested itself in suffering from this did not to join the Fr. Willmann Fellows. Aside from being an
Norman Reyes. George knew
came in with the second ways like this: a young girl, know who they were, or where
wave — some priests, some the daughter of a Filipino they came from. George got
both of these boys…. And then advocate in spreading the sanctity of Father Willmann
the Voice of Freedom was still. and the graces that come with it, each Fellow is entitled
Seminarians, and some nuns. government official in Manila, their names from their dog
It was replaced by
The Jesuit Scholastics met was raped by a Japanese tags, and — whenever possible to receive the following items as memorabilia: (1) a
triumphant cries from the
with one of these Japanese Officer. The girl told her — tried to get word to their Certificate of Membership, (2) a lapel pin and (3) a
loud speakers which the
Seminarians. He came to the father. The father reported parents, or to their wives. pamphlet entitled “A Quest for a Cause of Fr. George J.
Japanese had set up in every
Ateneo, to the dormitory, sat it to the Japanese Command. It dawned on George that
street: “Corregidor has fallen! Willmann, S.J.”. We further urge you to fervently seek
on one of the beds, and talked. In the office of a Japanese the wreckage of war is not only
The Japanese Imperial Army Fr. Willmann’s intercession in all your petitions for God’s
He did not know English, Colonel, the girl identified buildings and bridges — the
has conquered Corregidor!
and the Jesuit Scholastics — the Japanese Officer who had real wreckage of war is men! graces and to report to the Foundation all blessings you
Four hundred Japanese
Filipino and American — did raped her. The Colonel spoke In the early days of the may have received with the intercession of Fr. Willmann.
paratroopers have taken two
not know Japanese. But they to the Officer, and gave him Japanese Occupation the Voice
thousand Americans prisoner,
got along famously in Latin. a pistol. The Officer went of Freedom was sounding,
on Corregidor!”
All seminarians, at that time, into the next room, and shot loud and clear, every night, Anniversary / C1
(to be continued
used Latin as the means of himself through the head. from the radio transmitter
on the next issue)
instruction! It was a bond of It was a definite, of the United States Armed Eroles, Worthy District M-47 service to the order. They
Deputy Noel S. Lacanilao, are Bro. Arvin P. Dapula,
The Founder in the Philippines Brother Knights of the Council
and their families.
Faith Director; Bro. Gerry G.
Sabanal, Life Director; Bro.
Father Michael McGivney almost strong among the Knights and their I add to my petition: ‘Through his The celebration was opened Neil M. De Leon, Community
certainly did not expect the fraternal families, thanks to the efforts of an intercession, grant the favor I now through the Welcome Address Director; Bro. Arcadio C.
Order he established in Connecticut in office in Manila run by Msgr. Pedro present.’ I find it very assuring.” of Sir Knight Rodolfo N. Prado, Jr., Family Director
1882 to be planted some two decades Quitorio, director of Communications Of course, spreading devotion to Profeta, Deputy Grand Knight and Bro. Ronald T. Vargas,
later in the faraway Philippines, but the for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference Father McGivney is far from the only and Program Director followed Membership Director. The
fact that the first council was founded of the Philippines. With the help of work of the Knights in the Philippines. by an Inspirational Message Family Award was given to
in Manila in 1905 is testament to the staffer Ronalyn Ramos and numerous With severe tropical storms regularly from WDD Noel S. Lacanilao Bro. Gerry G. Sabanal and his
worldwide and timeless appeal of the volunteers in locations throughout the raging across the islands, there is a wherein he awarded the Triple family. The Knight of the Year
Knights of Columbus. archipelago nation, the life, mission and constant need for relief services in the Star Council Award to it’s CY Award was bestowed upon Sir
The first Knights in the Philippines vision of Father McGivney are spread affected areas, and the Knights are 2017 to 2018 Officers headed Knight Rodolfo N. Profeta.
were Catholic U.S. soldiers stationed among priests, parishes, schools, always there to assist with rebuilding by PGK Orlando H. Gonzaga. The festivities for the day
in Manila in the aftermath of the youth groups, religious societies and homes and lives, even if they themselves Apart from the various was followed by a fellowship
Spanish-American War. Local hospitals. Visits to cancer wards have have suffered loss. They also partake inspirational messages, brother night at the Council 1000
Filipinos, however, quickly took up become a focus of the office’s activities. in food and nutrition programs for knights were also recognized office.
the Columbian banner and the story When they are told about the need children, free medical and dental for their commitment and
has been one of constant growth for for a medical miracle attributed to clinics, tree planting to slow soil Brother’s Insight / C2
the Order. Father George Willmann, a the intercession of Father McGivney, erosion, as well as numerous spiritual
New York Jesuit priest assigned to the patients are comforted by the fact that initiatives designed to build the faith to cast the ballots on behalf be the same scenarios in
Philippines, said that the principles they can pray both for their healing and and fraternal cohesion of the Order of these seniors; go down to most of the polling places all
of the Knights and the spirit of the for the beatification of the founder of and the Church. have the receipts validated by over the Philippines. If such
Filipino man were perfectly matched. the Knights of Columbus. One of the main engines of charity the voters and run up again is the case then we could all
Known as “the Father McGivney of the “In a country with much poverty, is the Knights of Columbus Fraternal to put these ballots in the say that election is relatively
Philippines,” he promoted the Order the example of Father McGivney is Association of the Philippines, Inc. ballot box. It takes about 30 peaceful, fast and efficient
throughout the mostly Catholic nation very appropriate, since he worked (KCFAPI), which offers life insurance minutes for the whole process with minor glitches and
until his death in 1977. Today, there closely with the poor and those on the and other financial benefits to members. and unnecessarily depletes some hindrances caused by
are more than 424,000 Knights in margins,” Msgr. Quitorio said. “The The association funds numerous the personnel of precincts some unruly and demanding
the Philippines in four jurisdictions: priests of our country identify with charitable programs and promotes the affected. The delay in the voters.
Luzon North, Luzon South, Visayas him very easily since much of their sainthood causes of Father Willmann whole process would add up Let’s hope and pray that
and Mindanao. In addition, Justice work involves social ministry, and and Father McGivney. The ground floor and tempers rise as lines are results of the election would
Jose C. Reyes Jr., who sits on the working with the poorest of the poor. chapel in the KCFAPI headquarters getting longer and slower to be released with dispatch
Philippine Supreme Court, is a member Personally, I have a great devotion in Manila is dedicated to Father move. and no cloud of doubt would
of the Knights of Columbus Board of to Father McGivney. I pray for his McGivney, and a statue of the venerable Both of these differing be cast on it lest the elections
Directors. canonization every day and whenever founder is enshrined beneath a cupola situations are in Quezon would just be a travesty and
Devotion to Father McGivney is I have a serious need or intention, on the grounds outside the building. City. Hopefully these could an exercise in futility.
C4 May 13 - 26, 2019, Vol 23, No. 10 THE CROSS
THE results of operations audited financial statements) shall continue to provide or dividends to be released
of the Knights of Columbus increased by almost 5% or increasing benefits as the this year. KCFAPI: Training and
Fraternal Association of the
Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI)
P48.9 Million from P1.02
Billion in 2017 to P1.07
benefit certificates increase
its values each year.
The Association’s total
resources as of December
Development Programs
for the year 2018 generated Billion in 2018. The decrease As a testament to the 31, 2018 as shown on the KCFAPI has been very active in various organizations that
a P54.2 Million Excess of in the Association’s bottom- Association’s commitment to table (Statement of Financial would help the Association and their employees in its mission
Revenues Over Expenses, line is due to the higher total its benefit certificate holders, Position from the audited to provide optimum mutual benefits to its members and their
which is 14.33% lower than benefits and claims paid for as of December 31, 2018, financial statements) reflected immediate families. For the month of May, the Association
the previous year’s P63.3 the year which increased the Association has released an 8.70% or P477 Million participated in events of 2 different groups with the objective
Million. This is not to by 7.59% or P53.1 Million a total of living and death increase from P5.5 Billion in of honing the skills and competencies of their employees and
say that the Association’s from P700 Million in 2017 benefits of P6.2 Billion, 2017 to almost P6 Billion in provide exemplary service to their BC Holders.
operations has diminished to P752.8 Million in 2018. more than or 104% of its 2018. This has grown by more
its returns since its gross This is just as expected as total resources of almost P6 than 186,000 times from a
revenues as shown on the the Association reached its Billion. Included in this is seed capital of P32,000 in
table (figures lifted from the 60th year in 2018, and we the P27 Million participation 1958. (RMDiapolit)
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES INC.
KNIGHTS OF
STATEMENT OFCOLUMBUS
INCOME FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES INC.
STATEMENT OF INCOME
Years Ended December 31
2018 2017 December
Years Ended Customer
31 version 2.0 Training
Underwriting Revenue 752,313,110 715,820,779 As an active member of the Association of Service
*Total Investment Income 2018 2017
Professional in Life Insurance (ASPLI), an organization is
314,257,362 301,623,100 composed of about 200 members from the Life Insurance
Underwriting
Total Revenue Revenue 1,066,572,490752,313,110
1,017,445,896 715,820,779
industry, KCFAPI is committed in supporting the participation
*Total Investment
BENEFITS, CLAIMS, Income
AND OPERATING EXPENSES 314,257,362 of its employees to various activities of the said group. Last
301,623,100
April 24, 2019, Mr. Arvin P. Dapula and Mr. Glenn D.
Total benefits
Gross Revenue and claims incurred on insurance contracts 1,066,572,490
457,930,146 470,085,4721,017,445,896
Salado of the BC Holder Relations Office (BRO) attended the
Reinsurers’ share of gross benefits Customer version 2.0 training conducted by ASPLI at the
BENEFITS, CLAIMS, ANDand claims incurredEXPENSES
OPERATING on insurance contracts 37,663 496,778
Green Sun Hotel, Makati. The training provided attendees
Gross
Grosschange in legal
benefits policy reserves
and claims incurred on insurance contracts 295,764,870457,930,146
229,722,071 470,085,472
additional knowledge on Customer Service which will
Reinsurers’ share of gross change in legal policy reserves (949,206) (617,354) enhance their skills in handling the needs of their clients.
Reinsurers’ share of gross benefits and claims incurred on insurance contracts 37,663 496,778
Net insurance benefits and claims 752,783,473 699,686,967
Gross change in legal policy reserves 295,764,870 229,722,071
General and administrative expenses 112,725,547 118,077,949
Reinsurers’ share of gross change in legal policy reserves (949,206) (617,354)
Commissions and other direct expenses 76,218,790 70,438,411
Net insurance
Interest expense benefits and claims 27,742,873752,783,473
28,560,126 699,686,967
General and
Operating administrative expenses
expenses 216,687,210112,725,547
217,076,486 118,077,949
Total Expenses and other direct expenses
Commissions 969,470,683 76,218,790
916,763,453 70,438,411
Interest
NET expenseBEFORE FINAL TAX
INCOME 97,101,807 27,742,873
100,682,443 28,560,126
PROVISION FOR FINAL TAX
Operating expenses 42,863,067216,687,210
37,370,184 217,076,486
NET INCOME BEFORE PARTICIPATION OF BENEFIT CERTIFICATE
Total Expenses
HOLDERS 54,238,740969,470,683
63,312,259 916,763,453
NET INCOME BEFORE
PARTICIPATION FINAL
OF BENEFIT TAX
CERTIFICATE HOLDERS (27,000,000) 97,101,807
(34,000,000) 100,682,443
PROVISION
NET INCOME FOR FINAL TAX 27,236,723 42,863,067
29,310,238 37,370,184
Ms. Mary Magdalene G. Flores, KCFAPI VP for Treasury, BRO and HRCC; Mr. Jhon
Lyndon Palafox, KCFAPI Manager for HR and Corporate Communications together
NET INCOME BEFORE PARTICIPATION OF BENEFIT CERTIFICATE with the participants of the Job Evaluation and Salary Structuring Training conducted
by PMAP last May 7 to 8, 2019 at the PMAP Center, Mandaluyong City. (JDPalafox)
*HOLDERS
Interest Income, Dividend Income, FV Gain/Loss on FA at FVPL, Forex Gain/Loss & Other Income 54,238,740 63,312,259
PARTICIPATION
KNIGHTS OF OFCOLUMBUS
BENEFIT CERTIFICATE
FRATERNAL HOLDERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (27,000,000) Job Evaluation and Salary
INC. (34,000,000)
KNIGHTS
NET INCOME OF COLUMBUS
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES INC.
27,236,723 Structuring Training
29,310,238
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
The People Management Association of the Philippines
Years Ended December 31 (PMAP) organized a training last May 7 to 8, 2019 entitled
* Interest Income, Dividend Income, FV Gain/Loss on FA at FVPL, Forex Gain/Loss & Other Income “Job Evaluation and Salary Structures” it was attended by
Years2018
Ended December 201731
Ms. Mary Magdalene G. Flores, Vice President for Treasury,
ASSETS 2018 2017 BRO and HRCC and Mr. Jhon Lyndon Palafox, Manager
for HR and Corporate Communications. The 2-day training
ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents 400,725,413 251,398,576
covered topics such as job analysis, job evaluation, job
Cash andShort-term investments
cash equivalents 122,307,358 251,398,576
400,725,413 427,109,742 classification, compensation management process salary
Insurance receivables 17,272,813 427,109,742
18,663,409 surveys and salary structures. It was a well-intended
Short-term investments 122,307,358 session to equip HR professionals on the standard process
Financial
Insurance assets
receivables 4,658,947,028
17,272,813 4,152,852,014
18,663,409 of ensuring competitiveness of employee compensation
Investments 458,327,694 4,152,852,014 and benefits.
Financial assets in subsidiaries 4,658,947,028 458,327,694
These trainings are part of the program lined-up for all
Property and equipment employees of KCFAPI and their subsidiaries for 2019. As
Investments in subsidiaries 458,327,694 458,327,694
At cost 10,674,164 9,870,766 part of its commitment to uplift the services provided to BC-
Property and equipment Holders, numerous training programs, like the Advanced
At revalued amount 265,612,522 144,166,000 Customer Service training in June, will be provided by
At cost 10,674,164 9,870,766 the Association to further equip its workforce for their
Net pension asset 17,635,423 11,704,779
At revalued amount 265,612,522 144,166,000 individual growth and fulfil the objectives of the company.
Other assets 9,590,350 10,046,886
Net pension asset 17,635,423 11,704,779 KCFAPI Underwriting Manager takes
TOTAL ASSETS 5,961,092,765 5,484,139,866
Other assets 9,590,350 10,046,886 her Oath as HOLUAP President
TOTAL ASSETS 5,961,092,765 5,484,139,866
LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH
Liabilities
LIABILITIES
Insurance AND NET
contract WORTH
liabilities
Liabilities Claims payable 90,548,457 77,455,443
Legalliabilities
Insurance contract policy reserves 4,276,697,036 3,968,090,985
Other
Claimsinvestment
payable contract liabilities 272,075,519
90,548,457 276,750,349
77,455,443
Other
Legal insurance contract liabilities
policy reserves 4,661,946 3,968,090,985
4,276,697,036 4,860,739
Members’ participation
Other investment payable
contract liabilities 135,112,610 276,750,349
272,075,519 137,722,334 Ms. Lorraine A. Teodoro-Mendoza, KCFAPI Manager for Underwriting Services
and incoming HOLUAP President together with Commissioner Dennis B. Funa of
Accounts payable
Other insurance contractand other liabilities
liabilities 102,057,191
4,661,946 95,563,226
4,860,739 the Insurance Commission during their Oath Taking Ceremony at the Insurance
Total Liabilities 4,881,152,759 4,560,443,077 Commission office, Manila City. (LTMendoza)
Members’ participation payable 135,112,610 137,722,334
ON May 7, 2019, Ms. Loraine A. Teodoro-Mendoza,
Accounts payable and other liabilities 102,057,191 95,563,226 KCFAPI Underwriting Manager took her oath as President
Net Worth
Total Liabilities 4,881,152,759 4,560,443,077 of the Home Office Life Underwriters Association of the
Contribution from founding members 32,000 32,000 Philippines (HOLUAP). This organization was incorporated
Other reserves 277,543,778 149,382,317 in March 28, 1990 and is composed of Underwriting
Net Worth Professionals across the country. The organization is
Unappropriated surplus 802,364,228 774,282,472 committed in the development and promotion of life,
Contribution fromWorth
Total Net founding members 32,000
1,079,940,006 32,000
923,696,789 accident, and health risks thereby professionalizing and
promulgating the advancement of the home office life
Other reserves 277,543,778 149,382,317
underwriting profession.
Unappropriated surplus
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH 802,364,228 774,282,472
5,961,092,765 5,484,139,866 Her term will commence in June 2019 until June
2020. As president, she will ensure that the members of
Total Net Worth 1,079,940,006 923,696,789 the organization is updated to current trends within the
Underwriting industry through various activities of the
organization ranging from trainings, seminars, workshops,
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH 5,961,092,765 5,484,139,866 lectures and conferences.

KCFAPI on-boards new Legal Services Manager

THE Association welcomes on deck
its new Legal Services Manager as
it traverses its corporate journey
beginning 2019. Atty. Luis Delas
Llagas Formilleza, fondly called as
“Atty. Bok” is a Knights of Columbus
member who earned his Bachelor
of Laws and Bachelor of Science in
Legal Management degrees from
San Beda University. Prior to his
assumption as head of the KCFAPI
Legal Services Department, he worked
as an Associate Lawyer for Ponce
Enrile Manalastas and Reyes Law
Offices (PECABAR) and Nograles
Law Offices (NLO), specializing in
criminal and civil litigation, labor
relations and alternative dispute
resolution. He also served as a Legal
and Technical Assistant for the Office
of the Undersecretary for Legal and
Procurement of the Department of
Transportation. He used to be a varsity
debater and coach for the San Beda
Debate Society, Law Debate Circle
and the International Law Society
and is an alumnus of the prestigious
Ayala Young Leaders Congress and
Ten Outstanding of the Philippines
(TOSP)- National Capital Region. He
is no stranger to underwriting and
insurance for he had been exposed to
the industry at a young age, as both
his parents and extended families are
insurance practitioners for more than KCFAPI Officers and employees led by Ms. Ma. Theresa G. Curia, Executive Vice
three (3) decades. President and Mr. Arsenio Isidro G. Yap, President of Keys Realty and Development
Corporation during their Themed Fridays “Today is Tropical Day!” last April 24,
2019. (KJYngco)